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[Healeys] Queensland Floods - A land of droughts and flooding rains

Subject: [Healeys] Queensland Floods - A land of droughts and flooding rains
From: hstandfa at iinet.net.au (helen standfast)
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:21:47 +1000
Were occasional listers and members of the Queensland Healey Club 
living in Brisbane, were in the flood affected area and sadly many 
Queenslanders are badly affected by the floods.Weve just spent a few 
days helping out with the volunteer army and the scale of peoples loss 
is heartbreaking.Thankfully we only had about three feet of water 
through our granny flat in the basement, and our family, friends and 
pets are all safe and sound.On the scale of things around here our 
misfortune is equivalent to the inconvenience of a mosquito bite so we 
cant complain.Im sure youve seen footage on the tube and therell be 
reams of print on the floods, but I thought Id share a couple of brief 
Healey related stories illustrating the terrific community spirit 
fostered by the floods.

We recently sold our much travelled BJ8 and bought a project BJ8 from 
San Diego and a local barn find BN1 as retirement projects.As Murphys 
Law always dictates the BJ8 arrived on the dock in Brisbane just as the 
flood was approaching.With water lapping at our back fence I received a 
call from the shipping agent advising that the car was ready for pick 
up.I let the lady know that we werent in a good position to collect the 
Healey and could she please store it for a week or so until the crisis 
passed.She replied that their holding shed was near the Brisbane River 
and as the water was rapidly rising perhaps it would be best to collect 
the car.Now Big Healeys are tough cars but not wanting to see it 
featured in the amphibious challenge on Australian Top gear I thought I 
should get it out fast.A quick call to a local tilt tray operator and he 
promised to do his best.To cut a long story short, he collected the car, 
tried to get to our place but was blocked by floodwater so he took the 
car to his own back yard shed (high and dry) to store until things 
returned to normal (at no cost).I dont know the bloke from a bar of 
soap but Im sure hes ridgy didge (the real deal in USA lingo).

As the water rose we decided we should evacuate our garage where our BN1 
and all my tools, spare parts etc etc are stored.I rang a mate up the 
street and asked for a hand.Within minutes, like the cavalry charging 
over the hill, an army of 30 local residents descended on our garage.The 
scene resembled a fast forward scene from one of those home reno shows 
as in about twenty minutes flat they moved the entire contents of our 
garage to higher ground.As I ran around like a headless chook trying to 
give directions it all happened around me and all our possessions were 
saved.

The last thing left in the garage was the BN1 and one young lad 
commented cool car, wed better make sure it doesnt go under

Sort of restores your faith in human nature

Cheers from Down Under

Noel S

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