Melissa O'Toole, a well-respected Broke Village local, gives us her perspective on the floods both from her personal experience and from what is now a hub of the village, Magoony's Coffee House, which plays an important part in village life.

Melissa and her husband Paul moved to Broke nearly 30 years ago with their family and had a couple of businesses. Her husband is a teacher at St Catherine's School in Singleton.

She worked for 18 years in local businesses in the area, including Margan Wines. On their two-acre property on the outskirts of the village, they have a catering business, Motty's Farm Cuisine, and a guest house called Red Tractor Retreat.

They had an antique shop many years ago and took on the old garage where they are now to open another antique shop, but have now turned it into a cellar door. Their son Ryan runs the now iconic Magoony's coffee house in the same location.

Melissa highlights the challenges of rebuilding and finding strength in the face of the devastation caused by the floods and provides outstanding examples of neighbours and volunteers offering assistance and support.

She describes how the community bonded and thrived amidst the challenging circumstances of a natural disaster and how places like the Broke Village Hall and Magoony's Coffee House enable people to gather and share their experiences and to continue to support those who are still dealing with the aftermath of the floods.

Melissa has a positive but realistic outlook about the future of Broke, where floods are part of the history of their environment.

‘I think most likely there will be another flood…a lot of people have got their own views, but I don't have a concern for my future of living here. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen. It was one in a hundred-year flood. Maybe it's another hundred years.’

*****

We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Beyond the Deluge and Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

YouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || Website

Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible in partnership with Singleton Neighbourhood Center with grant funding from the Hunter New England and Centre Primary Health Network.

Chris Brooks, the proprietor of the iconic Wollombi Tavern during the July 2022 flood, is a resilient and community-oriented individual. In the early eighties, when Chris was in the army he discovered the tavern during regular trips to Singleton.

Originally a builder from Sydney, in 2016, he and his wife decided to buy a small hobby farm and drew a circle around two hours from Sydney, and Wollombi happened to fall into that circle. They looked at a few properties, from Goulburn up to Singleton, then found the property they liked in Wollombi. ‘I said to my wife, “I want to buy my little piece of Australia.” We lived in this stupid big house in Sydney, but we knew only the two people next door to us and people across the road.’

Chris mentioned to his friends that, ‘There’s this little pub there that I love, and if it ever came up for sale, I’d buy it.’ Which he did, in 2017. Passionate about preserving local history and traditions, Chris took on the challenge of running the historical pub, embracing its rich heritage dating back to the early 1800s. His commitment to Wollombi and its residents reflects his deep connection to the area and his unwavering dedication to preserving its unique character.

Wollombi is a small village, ‘two hours from Sydney, but a long way from anywhere’. The tavern is one of the major focal points for the local community. For tourists, it’s the biggest attraction in the village.

Despite facing numerous adversities, including bushfires, floods, and Covid lockdowns, Chris remained dedicated to the tavern and the community it served. As a volunteer firefighter, he embodies the spirit of service and resilience, facing challenges with determination and positivity.

*****

We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Beyond the Deluge and Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

YouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || Website

Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible in partnership with Singleton Neighbourhood Center with grant funding from the Hunter New England and Centre Primary Health Network.

Bernadette lives with her husband, Max, on a property called Broke Estate on the outskirts of Broke where they have accommodation, a vineyard, and cattle. They were on other side of the road collapse that blocked of the local villages. Eventually they could get to Singleton but it was a few days before they could get into Broke.

‘It was scary because we were very isolated. We were on an island because there was water all around us, and the road to Singleton was closed. Our neighbours were also blocked off from us. We thought if we did get stuck there, we could go up into the ceiling and onto the roof, but we didn't think the flood would get that high. We had to stay calm.’

Their house was not flooded but they had many other challenges on the property including the need to rescue their livestock, but they were able to observe what was happening around them.

‘The connection to the village really came for us once the road opened, and we were able to go down and be part of the village and of that recovery check-in point at the community centre. It was like a war zone. It was very sad to see the devastation; it was dirty and wet. The sun was shining, and it was really eerie.’

She observed that the local community is very strong, aiding in the recovery with support from various services, officials, and volunteers.

Bernadette’s level preparedness for natural disasters was tested and she realised the importance of better evacuation plans and resources.

Bernadette believes Broke village is bouncing back but also bouncing forward, and describes the significance of wellness initiatives, community involvement, and support services in fostering connectedness and resilience.

Support Bernadette's Business

Broke Estate: https://brokeestate.com.au/

*****

We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Beyond the Deluge and Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

YouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || Website

Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible in partnership with Singleton Neighbourhood Center with grant funding from the Hunter New England and Centre Primary Health Network.