River Murray Recovery Stories

Thriving through disaster thanks to community support with Mark Leigh • River Murray Recovery Stories E16

Mark grew up visiting the river and eventually moved with his family to the banks of the Murray for a relaxed country lifestyle.  He became part of a small, friendly community where people help each other, and boating is part of everyday life for locals and visitors alike. Mark’s kids thrived in a tiny school, and the family enjoyed close ties, with local traditions centred around the water and time spent outdoors together. When the 2022 flood came, Mark watched his home disappear beneath slowly rising water, leaving the area looking like an inland sea.With his house gone, Mark depended on relief centres and friends, moving between hotel rooms and a rental while waiting months for water to go down. He describes how the neighbourhood worked together cleaning thick mud, stripping homes and sharing help, all while supporting each other through the stress and slow rebuilding. Mark reflects on loss and change but still values river life, new friendships, and the strong community that pulled together during tough times. ------ We hope that you enjoyed this episode of River Murray Recovery Stories, brought to you by Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group. If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/con... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUprTW12VlNaU1RXQnBOV2lUcEVpaEhVSl8zUXxBQ3Jtc0trdHJNcFMydXJ2cFlNNnl6Z2lzQy1NazlVMnhzWTRaX0pzWjlmajhnSUlpdTZIZ1I1dlVxNk9QaGdESDF0dHJTY0RwQlFQc1ZDeG1Tc1FHSk1sR3ZUa3F4VDc4SzdOMnBQNVp3azZuWGl4b2JCbE1Wcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kintsugiheroes.com.au%2Fcontact&v=q0h-h6lWZU8] We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories! Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes team

Building a home on the Murray River with Adele Johnson • River Murray Recovery Stories E15

As a child, Adele visited the Pyatt river settlement with family friends, creating lasting memories of carefree days spent exploring the land and water, deeply connecting to the Murray River. In 2015, Adele and her family purchased the property, transforming it into their home. Embracing the rural lifestyle, she balanced work as a baker with life on the riverbank. Adele and her partner Justin joined the vibrant local community, raising their children alongside other families. They built strong ties through mutual support and shared experiences along the Murray. When the 2022 floods arrived, Adele drew on local knowledge and teamwork. Her family carefully prepared, adapting to the changing conditions as floodwaters steadily encroached, relying on resilience and practical solutions. Today, Adele reflects on the challenges and beauty of river life—raising children, enjoying peaceful moments, and appreciating the support of her community as they move forward after the waters receded. ------ We hope that you enjoyed this episode of River Murray Recovery Stories, brought to you by Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group. If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/con... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUprTW12VlNaU1RXQnBOV2lUcEVpaEhVSl8zUXxBQ3Jtc0trdHJNcFMydXJ2cFlNNnl6Z2lzQy1NazlVMnhzWTRaX0pzWjlmajhnSUlpdTZIZ1I1dlVxNk9QaGdESDF0dHJTY0RwQlFQc1ZDeG1Tc1FHSk1sR3ZUa3F4VDc4SzdOMnBQNVp3azZuWGl4b2JCbE1Wcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kintsugiheroes.com.au%2Fcontact&v=q0h-h6lWZU8] We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories! Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes team

Conveying calm communications amid rising waters with Stephanie Brookes • River Murray Recovery Stories E14

Stephanie grew up in Dublin, Ireland, where she explored her interest in consumer behaviour and marketing. She studied wine and its emotional connections, learning the importance of storytelling in people’s lives. She moved to the Riverland in 2012 and fell in love with the region especially the River Murray. She is married to a local wine maker with two beautiful children and one on the way.  Since 2013, Stephanie has worked with the Renmark Paringa Council. Her job focuses on communications, marketing and community engagement, helping to share stories and reliable information with residents and stakeholders. When the 2022-23 floods arrived, Stephanie joined the emergency incident management team. She managed communication, supported by her team, working long days to ensure everyone stayed informed and reassured. Her role during the River Murray Flood 2022/23, on the Emergency Incident Management Team, was to ensure all stakeholders were informed on Renmark Paringa Council's response to the impeding flood waters and ensure that that the community remained confident of the levee network during that time.  Professionally and personally, she was engulfed by the Flood, so felt able to prepare communication resources for the community which made sense to her as a community member and therefore ensured that the Council was trusted source of information during that time. She shared facts clearly and made sure people understood both risks and progress, helping reduce fear and build trust during a difficult time.  She is proud of how the community came together, and values the teamwork, resilience and belonging that her experience has brought her. ------ We hope that you enjoyed this episode of River Murray Recovery Stories, brought to you by Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group. If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/con... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUprTW12VlNaU1RXQnBOV2lUcEVpaEhVSl8zUXxBQ3Jtc0trdHJNcFMydXJ2cFlNNnl6Z2lzQy1NazlVMnhzWTRaX0pzWjlmajhnSUlpdTZIZ1I1dlVxNk9QaGdESDF0dHJTY0RwQlFQc1ZDeG1Tc1FHSk1sR3ZUa3F4VDc4SzdOMnBQNVp3azZuWGl4b2JCbE1Wcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kintsugiheroes.com.au%2Fcontact&v=q0h-h6lWZU8] We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories! Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes team

Rebuilding a home and advocating for clearer communication with Graham Radford • River Murray Recovery Stories E13

Graham arrived to live on the Murray in 2010 after a life as a multi-generation landowner and farmer elsewhere in the region. He describes rural self-reliance, and both the strengths and challenges of small-town community dynamics during crises. His first-hand experiences with flood preparation, with the help of his family, what worked, what didn’t (like limited access to sandbags) led to his realisation that community organisation to help people prepare was lacking in the early stages. Graham expressed his frustration with the lack of clear, timely information before and during the flood, and his call for better documentation and central communication in future emergencies. He also tells personal stories of loss, uncertainty, and change, including the trauma within the community, as well as unexpected positives like the opportunity to modernise his cottage. He discusses the mixed aftermath effect on farming and expectations versus reality like the disappointing effect of salt leaching, rather than soil enrichment, after the flood, and the evolving challenges for farmers in the region. Graham is a passionate advocate for recording lessons learned, so future generations and community leaders can better prepare for and respond to future Murray River floods. ------ We hope that you enjoyed this episode of River Murray Recovery Stories, brought to you by Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group. If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/con... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUprTW12VlNaU1RXQnBOV2lUcEVpaEhVSl8zUXxBQ3Jtc0trdHJNcFMydXJ2cFlNNnl6Z2lzQy1NazlVMnhzWTRaX0pzWjlmajhnSUlpdTZIZ1I1dlVxNk9QaGdESDF0dHJTY0RwQlFQc1ZDeG1Tc1FHSk1sR3ZUa3F4VDc4SzdOMnBQNVp3azZuWGl4b2JCbE1Wcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kintsugiheroes.com.au%2Fcontact&v=q0h-h6lWZU8] We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories! Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes team

Building a community workforce with Anthony Winter & Brenton Jinks • River Murray Recovery Stories E12

Anthony Winter and Brenton Jinks are highly experienced local tradies and community service co-ordinators who have worked for the South Australian Corrections Department for over 16 years. During the 2022-3 Murray River Floods they taught practical trade skills to prisoners, from the safe use of tools to teamwork. They helped participants gain confidence and experience that could support their future employment and rehabilitation. They led crews in building and assembling flood defence barriers, such as Defence Cell levees working long days in tough conditions. Their local knowledge helped integrate the prisoner work gangs into broader emergency efforts, enabling a more unified response to the flood. By fostering trust with locals and being approachable leaders, they helped change attitudes about prisoner involvement in public projects. Their personal connections reassured the community, opening doors for wider acceptance and meaningful collaboration. They ensured jobs were completed to a high standard despite resource constraints and changing priorities throughout the flood response period. With a focus on skill development, they offered prisoners hands-on training in trades like carpentry, landscaping, and machinery operation. These opportunities provided structure and a sense of achievement, supporting rehabilitation and personal growth. After the floods, Anthony and Brenton and their team supported recovery efforts by removing debris, repairing local facilities, and supporting the most affected residents.   ------ We hope that you enjoyed this episode of River Murray Recovery Stories, brought to you by Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group. If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/con... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUprTW12VlNaU1RXQnBOV2lUcEVpaEhVSl8zUXxBQ3Jtc0trdHJNcFMydXJ2cFlNNnl6Z2lzQy1NazlVMnhzWTRaX0pzWjlmajhnSUlpdTZIZ1I1dlVxNk9QaGdESDF0dHJTY0RwQlFQc1ZDeG1Tc1FHSk1sR3ZUa3F4VDc4SzdOMnBQNVp3azZuWGl4b2JCbE1Wcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kintsugiheroes.com.au%2Fcontact&v=q0h-h6lWZU8] We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories! Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes team