As power was restored to the final home in the cyclone-hit zone six days on from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily crossing, Ergon Energy once again shared their appreciation of the community’s support throughout the process.
Posting on social media, Ergon Energy Network said it has been an incredibly tough time for tens of thousands of people, and their teams have been genuinely moved by the kindness of the community.
“Thank you for the cold drinks, the ice blocks, the much-needed coffees and delish baked goods, the offers of pools to cool off in, and the invitations for BBQs and frosty beverages,” the post read.
“Thank you for the friendly waves, the words of encouragement when we had very little left in the tank, and to the people who took the time to say ‘g’day’.
“Thank you for looking out for each other: the very genuine care for your neighbours and for vulnerable members of our community. That Qld spirit shone bright and strong.
“We're so proud of our crews who put in long, long hours in frankly brutal conditions. Mother Nature really turned on a ‘welcome to North Qld!’ summer special for our teams from across the state, and even our long-time locals were feeling the strain.”
Ex-TC Kirrily crossed the north Queensland coast two weeks ago on Thursday, January 25, causing power outages for over 66,000 customers across the cyclone-hit zone including over 9,000 here in the Burdekin.
“I’m really happy with the response of the Burdekin residents and how accommodating they’ve been; people just couldn’t do enough for us,” Ergon Energy Area Manager Matt Oar said.
Rebecca Grogan from Burdekin Community Association’s Second Bite program with Home Hill’s Leesa Nelson. Photo supplied: Ergon Energy Network