RESILIENCE AND ADAPTABILITY LISMORE AFTER THE FLOODS
Parts of northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland were left uninhabitable after unprecedented flooding in February and March of this year inundated the region . Lismore , in the Northern Rivers region , was at the devastation ’ s epicentre .
Speaking to Neil Scott , principal of Ray White Lismore , it ’ s hard not to be inspired by his optimism . The town sentiment , he says , is getting better every week . It ’ s a tight-knit town , with tough locals who are no stranger to wild weather . But the 2022 floods will be etched in their minds for generations to come . However , businesses in the community are starting to surge back to life , and day by day , in some capacity , Neil says he ’ s seeing them slowly chugging along to full steam .
The Ray White office itself is close to re-opening after requiring extensive renovations due to flood damage . But , Neil says , it ’ s given them the opportunity to step up the quality of the fit out and design .
Most importantly , Neil is so proud of his team . Many have suffered personal loss , but have continued to support the local community - tenants , landlords and owners who need advice and assistance . The property management team was “ remarkable ”.
Amidst trauma and loss , Neil ’ s team worked day in day out to provide their customers with as much support as possible , while dealing with the worst of it themselves .
“ They just got it done ”, Neil said . He thinks that sort of resilience and adaptability comes out in the most challenging circumstances , and it ’ s just in you , you make it work , and that ’ s a quality you can ’ t replace .
The magnitude of what ’ s happened will continue to affect the region . Many of the worst hit suburbs are still ghost towns . Nearby Coraki , Woodburn and Broadwater are still absolutely reeling , and many owners are in holding patterns , waiting for insurance or government assistance before they make a decision to stay or go .
But Neil believes the town sentiment is good . The vibe is solid . It will take time , but he believes in the resilience of his town .
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