Dear Yeppoon

Friday 27th February

Dear Yeppoon

When we drove out in the early hours of the morning of the 15th  of February in a guise of darkness, we had no idea how different you would be and how much devastation would be reaped upon you during our absence. We were off on a long-awaited for family holiday.

Hearing the news of a cyclone forming off the coast while we were away, we thought it would go around you. They always do. They peter out into nothing. Lots of hype and usually a no-show. Maybe some soggy feet with the rains that normally come when cyclone season is at its peak. We thought you would be safe. You always have been before.

Yet this time was different. Marcia you were a bitch. You came and you wreaked havoc on our beautiful, coastal town. The very town I grew up in and the town where I now raise my own family. The town which is home to many friends and family and a wonderful community. Our piece of paradise.

You destroyed family homes, tore down trees, flung branches and debris far and wide. The wrath of your destruction had to be seen to be believed.

Watching this drama unfold on national tv, waking to see a countdown until the bitch hit was all so surreal. Seeing reporters standing in our familiar streets while the weather ravaged on in the background, was like watching a scene from a movie. 

Seeing the updates on social media, seeing the pictures of people's experiences, hearing the reports, it all felt like an experience in the twilight zone. Hearing stories of survival and homes without power for days on end, it seemed like the end of the world.

We received word that our house was safe. Thankfully we live in a beautiful neighbourhood where our neighbours banded together to batten down our loose items for us or I may have a different story to tell. We were one of the lucky ones.

Families have lost their homes, their possessions, their cars, their incomes. Watching from afar as the community banded together to help each other out in this time of need made me proud to call this place home. The sense of community experienced as residents banded together offering their homes and electricity to those in need was truly heartwarming. The plot in the movie was getting better.

As we returned home yesterday afternoon, not really knowing what to expect when we got here, except that we were still powerless, brought anxiety to my trip. Not knowing what I would see or how far the devastation would spread, had me on edge.

Driving back on the highway from Rockhampton, the devastation was immediately evident. Vegetation and trees torn away, pushed over like skittles. Branches broken like small twigs being snapped in the hands of a young child.

The closer we got to the beach, the more we saw. Tears started to well in my eyes. Hopelessness swept across me. Gratitude quickly replaced these. Gratitude that the impact is superficial. Homes can be replaced. Possessions can be regained. Lives cannot be returned. Gratitude that so many who had come so close to losing it all came through with minor cosmetic damages.

While the images of Marcia and her devastation will disappear from the tv screens, it's a memory that will be etched in the minds of many families throughout the Capricorn Coast. Recovery from this disaster will take many months. But you Yeppoon, you are strong. You will rebuild. You will recover, You will recuperate. You will be restored.  You will be stronger and more beautiful than ever. And in the meantime, it's business as usual.

If you want to help out our community or you're looking for a great place to have a break #visitcapricorn or http://www.capricornenterprise.com.au/2015/03/call-for-hashtag-help-from-locals/