Tofu airdrop for stranded co-op

WASHED OUT: The collapsed culvert that has trapped 200 residents of a co-operative at Tuntable Falls.

AROUND 200 residents of Tuntable Falls co-operative, isolated since Thursday by a washed-out culvert, have welcomed a one-tonne airdrop by SES helicopter of bread, milk, eggs and tofu for their vegetarian community.

Work has begun on repairing the collapsed culvert and a Lismore City Council worker on the site yesterday said the culvert could be fixed by Friday, weather permitting.

Lismore City Council spokeswoman Wendy Johnson said the repairs would be temporary until the RTA approved a new concrete box culvert for the site.

She said this would probably take three to four months.

Tuntable Community treasurer David Julian said residents were happy Lismore City Council had organised for work to begin to repair the damaged culvert.

“Things are going really well. If they can have the repairs finished by Friday, it will be a great effort,” he said.

Mr Julian said the co-operative had pulled together and there had been no major dramas.

Helicopter supply drops are continuing.

Slowly subsiding river levels and flat terrain means the southern Richmond Valley communities of Moonem, Swan Bay, and parts of New Italy are also expected to remain isolated for another 10 to 14 days.

Residents of Bungawalbin Creek, south of Coraki, remain cut-off as well, although it’s hoped creek levels will reduce over the next three to four days, ending their isolation.

PHOTOS:

• Contributed flood photos from readers.
• View a gallery of flood images from across south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.
• See a gallery of images from Grafton.
• For more images of floods around the Sunshine Coast, visit The Sunshine Coast Daily's flood gallery 1 and flood gallery 2.
• See photos of Grafton as evacuation is ordered.
• View flood photos from the first deluge in south-east Queensland.