Severe flooding in the Manning Valley has wrecked many local dairy farms. Farmers such as Kevin and Doug Schlenert are already experiencing the immediate and harsh impact on their economic futures. Twelve years later, the brothers estimate they’ve lost 70% or more of their herd. Now the destruction of their dairy production facilities moons them into an unpredictable ovary. As rescue and recovery efforts are underway, the community faces the challenge of healing and rebuilding after nature’s fury.
The flooding, which dramatically reshaped the Manning Valley earlier this month, sent dozens of rotting carcasses in a floating cow graveyard alien-jellypudding-bennett_riverrise. Emergency crews worked through the weekend to clear these cattle and other debris from Old Bar Beach. Confronting the reality of dead cattle that now wash up on local beaches highlights just how close to home this tragedy has struck the Schlenerts’ farm. More importantly, it shows how this affects the entire regional dairy industry.
Kevin Schlenert recounted his harrowing experience evacuating during the floods. His experience of being held captive in his own house for more than a day as the water rushed all around him. “One got into my bedroom. She was alive and swimming, and she wanted to climb on the mattress,” he said. He had 32 dead cows on his property. Now, he’s calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to step in and replace them.
“I’d like to say to him, ‘I found 32 dead cows, prime minister, are you gonna replace them?’” – Kevin Schlenert
On top of the all-consuming emotional toll of losing their livestock, Kevin and Doug are crushingly financially stressed. In addition to the recognition, Schlenert was given a one-time payment of $1,000 to assist the victims of deadly floods. He has been approved for an additional government two-year interest-free loan of $130,000. These safety net measures may be inadequate in continuing their legacy of a family farm. The farm has been proudly stewarded for three generations.
Though the Schlenerts are deeply grateful to those who have offered support, the scale of the disaster has left them feeling overwhelmed. Doug Schlenert remarked, “I think this has just pushed the boundaries too far.” He noted that many local dairy farmers have been hit hard by the floods, stating, “There’s a few dairy farmers here that haven’t been hit bloody hard; they’ve been hit that hard it’s not funny.”
The crisis extends beyond dairy farmers. The Manning Valley community has more recently been home to a network of intensive and extensive agricultural industries that have taken a severe hit. Feed producers, oyster growers, beekeepers, and all manner of local businesses are suffering the impact of the inundation from the floods.
As the community begins to assess the damage and plan for recovery, Kevin and Doug Schlenert are advocating for improved flood preparedness measures. They are demanding flood warning sirens to be fitted across the entire Manning River catchment area. “Make sure the sirens are put on the river because you never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at us again,” Kevin emphasized.
“If the politicians don’t get off their bums and put the flood warning sirens in place, it’s not going to prevent another disaster like this.” – Kevin
The sight of cattle floating in floodwaters and washed up on beaches has left an indelible mark on Kevin Schlenert. “It’s heartbreaking to see them because you reared them as babies, and you get attached to them,” he lamented. Given the strong emotional bonds between farmers and their animals, this disaster is even more painful.
The Manning Valley dairy industry flourishes as a tight-knit community. Its members intentionally depend upon each other for mutual understanding and emotional fortification. Doug emphasized that for those who wish to help, you need to work on re-establishing operations for dairy operations. So that’s gonna be a huge undertaking, though,” he said.
As recovery efforts continue, it remains essential for both local and national authorities to provide adequate support and resources for those affected by the floods. Through their movie, the Schlenerts hope to shine a light on the challenges farmers like them are going through. They hope to catalyze critical shifts in flood preparedness efforts to safeguard communities from the next inevitable disaster.
