Four days after floods wreaked havoc on the Illawarra, almost everything a single mother, her young son and their housemate owned sat stacked in waterlogged piles outside the North Wollongong house they once called home.
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Claire Dewhirst, her eight-year-old son Liam, and Jodie Pearce moved into the Achilles Avenue house in July 2022, the same weekend 200 millimetres fell on parts of the Illawarra and caused flash flooding.
That time, they were not affected - but it was a different story on April 6, 2024, as turbid waters from Fairy Creek inundated the home to a depth of several inches.
They have now had to vacate the rental property.
Not only has Ms Pearce lost most of her belongings, but the family daycare educator is without work and without income as she ran her business from the house.
"I'm living on my mum's couch pretty much," Ms Pearce said.
"There's no work until I have a property."
Meanwhile Ms Dewhirst and Liam are staying at her parents' home in Unanderra.
"At the moment I'm OK, I can work, but we're homeless, we don't have a house," she said.
Ms Dewhirst recalled waking up about 5.30am on Saturday and looked outside to see no flooding, but a little while later Ms Pearce suggested she move her car to avoid the rising water.
It wasn't long before the water spilled over the raised veranda and flooded the home.
Ms Dewhirst called the State Emergency Service but was unable to get through amid the unfolding disaster, so turned to triple-0, whose call-taker advised her to evacuate if possible.
She, Ms Pearce and Liam left with nothing except the clothes on their back, a couple of handbags, and their pet rabbits and dog.
"There was no saving anything," Ms Pearce said.
The water was waist-deep at ground level but they household managed to get to a friend's home in Balgownie to wait out the worst of the weather.
When they returned to the street that afternoon, it was "just bedlam", Ms Dewhirst said.
They salvaged some clothing, a couple of televisions and Liam's PlayStation console.
But Ms Pearce was left with no shoes except a pair of thongs, and Liam lost all the birthday presents he received just a little over a month ago.
The frightening experience has had an impact on Liam, who has been reluctant to return to the home since.
"It's really affected him," Ms Dewhirst said.
She said they did not have renters' contents insurance because, being in a flood zone, it was so expensive.
But the real estate agency through which they rented the home, First National Wollongong, had been "wonderful", she said.
Suzy O'Keefe, the mother of a child who attended Ms Pearce's daycare, has also established a GoFundMe to help them get back on their feet.
"[Ms Pearce is] just such a wonderful carer... It just broke my heart that it happened, because they're two very wonderful people," Ms O'Keefe said, adding they worked hard but were now "stuck in a horrible situation".
Her friends coincidentally lived next door and were also badly affected, losing two cars and having to go into emergency accommodation.
"It's just heartbreaking," Ms O'Keefe said.
The GoFundMe can be found at gofundme.com/f/help-jodie-claire-liam-recover-from-their-house-flooding.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
