Wee Jasper floods

The little-known valley of the Goodradigbee River in NSW is close to the hearts of my entire family and many others besides. It has been with considerable concern and amazement that we have followed the news, pictures and video of the huge volume of water that is passing through Wee Jasper presently.

Readers of this blog can see that our family spent a wonderful week at the Farthing family cabin at Swinging Bridge Reserve, Wee Jasper in January this year. The birding images can be reviewed by clicking here.

My father-in-law happened to be staying at the cabin on the earliest day of major flooding and captured the torrent of water smashing the bridge (see the video footage here). Yesterday we believe the water was 60cm higher again.

Our thoughts are with all those living in the area.

More information and flood updates can be found on the Wee Jasper Reserves Facebook page. The first two pictures showing the flooded Swinging Bridge reserve are lifted from that facebook site.

Swinging Bridge Reserve, Wee Jasper, 4th March 2012
Picture from Wee Jasper Reserves Facebook Page

The conifers (centre right) can be seen in drier times below
(looking from the other direction). They provided camouflage
for a much-photographed Satin bowerbird bower
Picture from Wee Jasper Reserves Facebook Page

The Farthing family cabin at right
Swinging Bridge Reserve, Winter 2009

The northern entrance to the reserve - the roof of the cabin
just visible at the right appears in the first flood picture above!

January 2012
The "swinging bridge" can be seen at the rear. At it's
peak the water was higher than the bridge which
we believe has been destroyed.