Hundreds of Scots ex-pats caught up in the floods join army of emergency volunteers

Published on Tuesday 11 January 2011 14:44

HUNDREDS of Scots have found themselves caught up in the Queensland floods, with the state capital Brisbane home to a large ex-pat community.

Donald Farquhar, 32, joined hundreds of volunteers helping flood victims and sandbagging areas of the city, which was expected to see major flooding over the next 48 hours.

The finance worker, who is originally from Leven, Dunbartonshire, has also been left distraught by the deaths in nearby Toowoomba, where his wife's family are based.

Mr Farquhar said: "Throughout last night we sat in our living room in shock of the impact and the suddenness of it. Knowing the lay of the land, the realisation soon set in that whatever water hits Toowoomba will at some point hit Brisbane."

Mr Farquhar said residents were well aware that Brisbane is next in line for the floods.

"The geography dictates that any water released from Wivenhoe would soon join the Toowoomba excess in the Brisbane River. You couldn't imagine a worse chain of events.

"In addition to Toowoomba waters and Wivenhoe, a high tide is due meaning rising water levels from the sea meeting the Brisbane River in the other direction.

"What was bad today, will be worse tomorrow. Thursday is not even worth thinking about."

Telling how many fellow Scots had joined a volunteer force in Brisbane to tackle the flooding, Mr Farquhar added: "I saw an update from Queensland Police Services calling for volunteers to help fill sandbags.

"Not the most glamorous of jobs, but it was one that even a desk jockey like me could do.

"My wife, who is eight and a half months pregnant, made herself useful by running water for the volunteers. Soon we had a stockpile of sandbags that were ahead of demand and within two hours the backlog of cars was cleared. Many of us dusted off the mud and sweat before heading home for a night's rest in the hope that we can offer more muscle tomorrow morning."

Fellow Scot Andy McKnight, a 35-year-old from Glasgow and now a town-planner in Brisbane, told how the local Rangers supporters club was offering support to friends and neighbours.

He said: "There is a big Scottish community out here, and we're all mucking in. There's the Rangers fans, the Celtic fans, everyone.

"It doesn't matter whether you're Scottish or not, we're just helping out neighbours."

Mr McKnight told how he and his fellow Rangers fans battled through the rain to their local British pub, the Pig and Whistle, to see the Rangers v Kilmarnock cup tie on Monday night.

However, a lightning strike ended the broadcast at half time.

He added: "A bit of rain wasn't going to stop us."