Holiday family can't return home

Kate and Craig Warby from Moree are waiting for floods there to recede.

Kate Matthews

IT'S AN anxious wait for the Warby family, who have been holidaying in Yamba for the past couple of weeks from their home in Moree.

They are unable to return home due to floodwater which has isolated up to 10,000 people.

From their accommodation at the Blue Dolphin resort in Yamba, the family has been closely monitoring the situation.

"We've been keeping an eye on weather and news reports, as well as keeping in touch with Facebook, email and sms," Kate Warby said.

With extensive flooding now inundating the region, closing roads and damaging bridges, the Warby family are concerned for friends and neighbours, as well as the family's retail business, their home and their pets.

"One of our dogs, our Jack Russell, is missing. No-one knows where he is," said Kate after receiving a text message yesterday from friends who are house-sitting.

"It's difficult being away (from home) and not knowing."

The couple have received photos of their home with up to 60cm of water covering their garden.

"We think the water will already be in our shed, but our house is elevated, so we are hoping our home at least stays dry," said Kate.

"But we know a lot of people are worse off than us."

Kate said she is very grateful for the help of friends and staff who have been out sandbagging the entrance to her retail shop in the main street of Moree.

"They've moved all stock up high. Hopefully above the height of the flood.

"But no-one seems to know if it's been in yet. We feel helpless that we can't do anything from here."

The Warby family has lived in the Moree district for the past 12 years and has never seen a flood of this level before.

However, this is the second flood event for Moree in the past two months.

Yesterday afternoon, reports indicated that the Mehi River had peaked at 10.69 metres at 10.15am, levels not seen since 1976, flooding a number of businesses in the CBD as well as some homes.

"Right now we're just trying to keep busy and distracted," said Kate.

The family plans to head north tomorrow, making a detour and hoping to return home some time next week.