Yaraka Musings

The summer has been long hot and humid. It’s been unpleasant. The usual dry heat conditions, which can be likened to the type of heat experienced when opening the oven door, were more reminiscent of a Turkish bath. These conditions were energy sapping – exhausting is probably more applicable.

And these weather conditions together with nature’s signs such an explosion in emu chicks, joey’s (baby kangaroos), the swallows building their nests high, unusual ant movements and lizard, indicated we would be getting heavy widespread, possible flood rains. There was a lot of confidence as we anticipated – with a high degree of hope – waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

And there was rain but localised with some areas having heavy falls. Blackall seemed to be under a rain shadow with some properties receiving over 400 mm / 16 inches. The country around Blackall at the moment looks beautiful. More bands of good soaking rain formed around the Stonehenge channel country and then moved in an easterly direction toward Isisford, once again producing positive results for the properties fortunate enough to be under these bands which happened quite regularly.

Here in Yaraka and the immediate surrounds we had patchy falls and in some cases they were useful and enough to get the Mitchell grass and woody weeds and Buffle grass sprouting. Again, the miraculous transformation of the country from dirt and dust to green and lush happened in an incredibly quick time. But the falls were only a temporary relief. We were missing out on the heavy soaking rains that penetrate the rock-hard ground and turn it into a marshmallow consistency. Dust is poverty but there is money and hope in mud.

So, as we anxiously waited and waited for the summer rains to arrive our confidence faded. And whilst you hope for the best you start to plan for the worst. And plans for the worst were happening with many, and stress levels were increasing as the realisation that the existing ground cover would soon be gone and back to dirt.

That anxiety has been extinguished with water and heaps of it.

As I write this, Yaraka has been isolated with all roads cut. A number of people are stranded here who had arrived for our ANZAC day ceremonies. And it was on ANZAC day that the rain really started to settle in. It had started raining on the previous day and it had been decided that we would make a decision at 4:00am as to whether we would be having the service on Mt Slowcombe.

At 4:00am the rain was medium to heavy and the wind was coming in strongly from the east here in Yaraka. At about 4:45am people in the caravan park were notified that if they wanted to attend there would be the Dawn service on Mt Slowcombe and the bus would be leaving at 5:15am for anyone who didn’t want to take their vehicle.

The conditions on top of Mt Slowcombe were far worse than they were in Yaraka. The wind was strong enough to blow one off balance; the rain was heavy, drenching and horizontal. And a dozen of us were there attempting to take cover in the shelter which was designed for water falling rather that water coming sideways. The police Chaplain from Rockhampton had come out to take the service. Under normal conditions the service starts at 5:45am as the horizon starts awaking with light, and finishes as the sun emerges over the horizon. But the conditions made sure that the darkness was impenetrable. At 6:00am it was decided that we would make our way to the flag poles and start the service. The Australian and New Zealand Flags had been raised and were flying in the dark. I had a powerful torch that lit them up. The greatest difficulty I was having was striving to keep the torch beam focused on the flags as the wind was so strong it was hard keeping my balance.
As well as the Police Chaplain, who took the main part of the service, we also had the Longreach Salvation Army Captain commence the service with his words being blown away with the wind.

The wind blew, the flags blew straight out, the drenching rain continued as did the ceremony. When the sun was supposed to be rising it was still pitch dark although a dim light was allowing the dark base of the low clouds to be seen. Wreaths were tucked behind the memorial plaque and survived the gusts. The Last Post was played through the speakers of the council vehicle, the flags at half-mast. Silence other than wind and rain. Lest we forget. The Reveille.

A tube of dim light lay on the horizon as we sang Amazing Grace with the words being blown back into our mouths.

We waddled back to the covered area, drenched from head to foot. Most had some sort of protection but our Police Chaplain and Salvation Army Captain were dressed in their uniforms without any protection, and totally soaked.

The conditions were not lost on us and each and every person standing there being buffeted by the elements, appreciated that what we were experiencing was nothing compared with the very people we were remembering.

Lest we forget.

We have no idea what the rest of the year will bring. We’ve had many enquiries from travellers saying they want to visit but it’s a waiting game. Obviously, fuel prices and the huge increase in cost of living is really hurting.

Caution with spending prior to an election may slow travel plans and only time will tell if this region, so far away from most travellers’ home bases, will result in people bunkering up in their homes in the hope that everything will improve.

But one thing is certain and that is, we will be here in our beloved wilderness township of Yaraka. We know this is a false feeling but our living here, creates a feeling that we are removed from all the negative headline stories that the news of the day delights in.

It was William Randolph Hearst during a newspaper war in the late 18 hundreds who changed his attitude from being compassionate, and decided that the headlines should be based on headline grabbers with the instructions ‘If it bleeds it leads.’ Unfortunately, it worked back then and continues to work to this day. Perhaps seeing other people worse off than ourselves makes us count our blessings.

For those who are travelling we wish you safe travel.

Chris