A Goulburn resident joined 55 volunteers from across Victoria and New South Wales to help with the recent damages caused by storms in Queensland over the Christmas period.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A factory manager by trade, Charles Elford said that it was a great experience to take part in.
"We got the call up and I wanted to help out in any way I could," Mr Elford said.
"It was awesome to see the look on people's faces when they realised we'd helped out."
The Rapid Relief Team (RRT) has cleared more than 3,000 cubic metres of debris caused by the Gold Coast storms, which is equivalent to around 500 truckloads.
More than 55 RRT volunteers, including more than two dozen from interstate including Mr Elford and others from both VIC and NSW worked from sunrise to sundown over five days to remove downed trees and vegetation caused by the 'tornado' like Christmas and New Years storms.
RRT volunteers also provided more than 800 meals for emergency service workers involved in the immediate clean-up effort, including members of the Australian Defence Force, RFS and Disaster Relief Australia.
Mr Elford said the highlight of the experience was the hospitality provided by Gold Coast Motor Museum.
"The owners there took amazing care of us, they gave us a space to park our trucks and even thanked us with a free meal which was just awesome," Mr Eflord said.
Mr Elford, having a heavy vehicle licence spent his time up north clearing up fallen trees and debree to help get the community back up and running.
RRT Director Lester Sharples said the support of local businesses in supplying excavators and bobcats was crucial in clearing the significant amount of debris.
"If it weren't for the heavy machinery, which was graciously provided to us at minimal cost, the enormous task of the immediate clean-up from these storms would have been far greater and taken far longer," Mr Sharples said.
"Every tree and branch we clear is a small step on the road to recovery. While there's a long way to go for communities across the Gold Coast, we've made significant inroads in the clean-up which will help people get on with the job of repairing and rebuilding their homes and businesses."
"The Rapid Relief Team will continue to provide support wherever we can," Mr Sharples said.
Earth Gear General Manager George Sutton said the company wanted to provide equipment to boost the clean-up effort.
"With the enormous scale of the clean-up, we knew any extra equipment and machinery like our trucks and excavators would be a huge help," Mr Sutton said.
"I'm pleased we were able to provide this support the Rapid Relief Team and help volunteers in the difficult task of clearing away so many downed trees and branches."
Jasbem Projects and Oasis Landscaping also provided trucks and bobcats to support RRT clean-up efforts.
The RRT is the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.
More information on how to support RRT can be found through their website.
