WHILE the devastation of the 2019 bushfires fades in the minds of many Australians, the memories and aftermath are still something many Nambucca Valley residents live with every day.

For a number of those who lost their homes, the daunting business of rebuilding has been made a little easier by a project known as the Nambucca Valley Septic Installation Initiative.

Conceived by Nambucca Valley based bushfire recovery volunteers, Kathleen Crawley and Gus Smith, the initiative has brought out the best in human nature while dealing with the worst of circumstances.

In addition to assisting residents maintain appropriate hygiene standards and generate hope in those wanting to rebuild, the initiative was devised to assist the uninsured, severely underinsured and the most financially vulnerable fire-affected persons who wanted to stay on their properties.

This initiative has brought together a range of community organisations, local government and businesses in a most unique way.

It was Kathleen and Gus’s success when applying for a Reece Grant of $50,000 for septic tanks and hardware that enabled the initiative to begin.

Funding from the Council Bushfire Levy was provided to cover installation costs and when that was exhausted the Salvation Army were able to provide further funding.

Council granted additional funds and the amazing Nambucca Valley Rotary Club also granted $10,000 to the initiative.

But to make the initiative a reality so many other wonderful people and organisations had to be behind it.

Council waived the normal range of fees associated with such an installation and even though the initiative had secured the $50,000 Reece Grant, Reece Plumbing supplied the septic tanks and hardware at cost price.

The installation required the services of specialised plumbers and two local companies, Drew Walker Plumbing and Nambucca Plumbing, stepped in to make it happen.

News Of The Area spoke to Drew Walker and asked how this was able to be achieved given his company’s existing workload.

Drew said, “We worked in the septic installations around other jobs and my team were eager to do their bit for the community in the aftermath of the fires.”

Project Coordinator Kathleen Crawly added, “The specialist work done by Drew Walker Plumbing and Nambucca Plumbing included land clearing, trenching and backfilling using heavy equipment and this was all done at cost price.”

In addition to those already mentioned in this article Kathleen humbly points out this has been a community project and included so much hard work from Rhiannon Treasure-Brand, Service NSW’s Lena Jones, NVC Planning and Development including Kyle Bates and Emma Walsh, Richard Spain, Nambucca Valley Bushfire Relief Fund Committee, Garry and Norma Johnson, Boral Macksville Quarry, Blue Dog Haulage, Austone, BB Water Wagons Scotts Head, just to name a few.

 

By Mick BIRTLES