Plucky Roxburgh residents clean up after floods

Dorothy Dunlay's house by the creek was full of water and her garden was covered with silt and mud yesterday. Photos: Peter McIntosh

Some Roxburgh homes may have been soaked to the bone, but that did not stop the community spirit becoming stronger than ever.

People from all around the town and even further afield came to help.

Dorothy Dunlay's living room carpet was wet, but she was not complaining.

''I've got new carpet out of it,'' she said.

Mrs Dunlay lived in Tweed St, where eight houses were evacuated on Sunday night.

Tweed St is at the north end of Roxburgh, just by Reservoir Creek, which flooded on Sunday night.

On Sunday night after a lot of rain, Mrs Dunlay heard a roar.

''It took me a few minutes to realise it was the creek,'' Mrs Dunlay said.

About 6pm, she was forced to evacuate but only had to go across the road to her neighbour's house.

''They had to carry me out to the driveway and I stayed [at my neighbours] for the night.

Mrs Dunlay's garage was soaked, so all items such as her washing machine and freezer had to be removed.

She admitted her garden was a mess, complete with silt and little sign of greenery.

''I had to give [gardening] up in the last year or two, but I planted it all out myself,'' she said.

She had lived in the house for 10 years, and in Roxburgh for 47.

Mark Coleman, who lived a few doors up Tweed St from Mrs Dunlay, said the flood destroyed his garden. The power of the water and the rocks damaged his fence. His garden was full of silt and mud.

''We just finished the gardens for Christmas yesterday and the fence went down,'' he said.
His front yard was also full of mud and his front hallway was wet.

Mr Coleman and his wife were only evacuated from about 7pm until 9pm on Sunday night and spent the night at home.