Mid North Coast floods led to a month of isolation for Cundle Flat residents
For the past month, Kristina and Ollie Strat have had their groceries delivered by a helicopter or a makeshift pulley system rigged up over the Manning River.
They're among five residents at Cundle Flat isolated when devastating floods hit the Mid North Coast in May.
Ms Strat estimates about two hectares of her land was washed away, including a campground the couple ran on the banks of the river.
"It's just rock city," she said.
"What was once beautifully manicured lawn, grass, river flat … it's [now] just indescribable," she said.
Ms Strat said Cundle Flat Road itself was left "virtually non-existent" in parts.
Essential items like food, fuel and vet supplies have been flown in by helicopter and drone.
Ms Strat said fuel was invaluable for the first 12 days of isolation, when they relied on a generator for power.
But while the power was restored, the only access road remained blocked, so some innovation and cooperation were needed.
"About three weeks ago we managed to organise a small boat at the end of the road to the other side of the river," Ms Strat said.
Neighbours would also lend isolated residents their cars so they could get to town.
Pip Hamersley-Everett is waiting for the road to be repaired so she can get an excavator in to stabilise eroded land on her sheep stud.
She lost thousands of dollars worth of fencing and dozens of animals, including her benchmark ewes, but she said fixing erosion would be the biggest cost after the water carved a cliff "which is actually quite dangerous".
"That'll be the most expensive thing to do ... getting an excavator in to try to stabilise that embankment, because at the bottom end it's like six metres," she said.
While limited 4WD access has been restored for residents, it could be months before they are able to get materials and machinery in for repairs.
Mid Coast Council Director of Infrastructure and Engineering Robert Scott said Cundle Flat Rd was one of the region's hardest hit, leaving it like "a war zone."
"In some areas we've just basically re-established a track through the debris and disaster to allow people in and out," he said.
He says full restoration of the road could take six-to-18 months.
Ms Strat said their elaborate grocery delivery system might remain in place for another week while crews worked to make the road more accessible.
Despite more than four weeks of isolation, residents say Cundle Flat was only this week assessed as an eligible locality for the state government's personal hardship grants.
"My true understanding is that it's an oversight," said Ms Hamersley-Everett.
"There's only five of us in this valley, so it's easy for them to overlook us.
"But we have alerted them to the fact that we are here and we have been severely affected."
Ms Strat said the delay in receiving financial assistance, coupled with damage to her property and the loss of her business, has compounded the mental weight of being isolated.
"We live in a beautiful environment — or it certainly was before the flood — [but] it is an isolated environment and you do treasure that.
"But when you know that you are actually isolated and you have no time frame on when that is going to cease, it gets a little tiring after a while.
She said the support of friends, family and long-term campers has been invaluable as they deal with the aftermath of the flood.
A spokesperson for NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin said SES data and evacuation orders were used to identify an initial 142 suburbs and localities for grant eligibility.
The spokesperson said further suburbs and localities had been added as the government consulted with local representatives.
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