Friday March 31, 2017
We had not planned on being in Rockhampton in March and for the first 4 days that we were here, we were neither in the holiday mindset. Nor did we wish to venture out of our hotel and get wet. It would have been a shame to waste the visit and not see anything of Rockhampton.
The reason we came to Rockhampton was because we had been evacuated from Airlie Beach, our home and community with the devastation of Cyclone Debbie fast approaching.
We have not been able to return to our home at Cannonvale as the Bruce Highway is cut in three places so for the present we are staying put in Rockhampton.
My trip to Ireland is fast approaching so I must stay focused, even with the devastating news about our home and Community in Cannonvale. I must continue my research in readiness for my visit to Ireland.
I spent a couple of hours at the Rockhampton Library where I met a very enthusiastic local and family history officer, Cheryl Rickard who was only too happy to chat with me about her family history research and pass on some very helpful tips as well.
Rockhampton bore the brunt of the tail end of the Cyclone with pounding rains and rising river levels. No strong winds, luckily but constant rain, humidity and low, grey, rumbling skies. We woke one morning with the creek water rising so high that it was lapping our balcony. Quite scary.