Carly Dawson only moved into Broke almost a year to the day before the floods. She had been around the area for a while before that after she and her and her son had spent a long time travelling and working around Australia with a caravan, but with no plans to settle in Broke.

Circumstances led them to the Hunter and she subsequently got a job in the Broke area. They had been traveling for about five years at that stage and it was time to settle down somewhere and try something new. In 2021 she bought an old house in the centre of town.

Carly tells her story with compassion and clarity. The flood did not enter her house but came very close and she witnessed the devastation suffered by others as she struggled with Covid so had to remain in isolation.

“At one stage I dozed off and I woke up much later, to a lapping sound. For a minute I thought I was in a boat because my brain wasn't working properly. I thought, hang on, that doesn't sound good. I went to one of my back rooms to look out the window onto the street and the water was up around the house. I went out to the front patio and the water was completely up to top of the stairs of the patio.”

Like other locals she expresses her appreciation of the supportive community and what that meant to her as a newcomer to the area.

*****

We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Beyond the Deluge and Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

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Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible in partnership with Singleton Neighbourhood Center with grant funding from the Hunter New England and Centre Primary Health Network.