"The Swimmer" - A true tale of strength and hope - 5 minute read

Can we ask you to pause a moment and let us tell you a tale….you may want to share it with others - at your dinner tables or over a cold one or a coffee, or with the other mums at school pick up, or just in a quiet moment with someone you think would appreciate it - because here at RFCSNR your stories are more than stories?to us, they are what connects us.

You share them with us as we go out to help, in the way we can, at times of crisis and also when the fields and orchards are full and ripe. We won’t rush it or cut a long story short because this tale is epic…but it is only one of many that at this time, one year on from an event etched in our hearts and minds we will all somehow reflect upon as we stand in solidarity with our communities who still have a long road ahead. ?

It begins when Noel Thompson a salt of the earth beef farmer from Coraki, whom like so many others, lost his cattle in what we now call the Flood Catastrophe of 2022. ?He had no idea that among the losses a single heifer (and her onboard cargo) could defy the odds and waves to become a beacon of hope.

You see a little known curiosity about cattle, is that they do in fact have the ability to float. Not as we humans do on our backs but by laying on their sides and slurping air as they lift their heads. So float and swim is exactly what Noel’s little heifer did. She swam down the Richmond, amongst the debris and the mud and the deluge. She swam through the break wall at Ballina and she swam out to sea. She swam along the coastline with her precious cargo and kept on swimming until some days later she came ashore. In Ballina? At Skennar’s Head or Lennox? No - she swam until she landed at Kings Beach near Broken Head (known as the nudie beach to some) exhausted and alone except for her cargo and her will to live.

The locals noticed her arrival. Reports came in of a cow on the beach. For 4 days Noel’s little heifer sunned herself, nude as the day she was born and regained her strength. The journey was far from over.

Those who know the Byron area and Kings Beach in particular, will tell you it’s a nice little hike on hoof from the clear water and sand if you’re keen for a spot of golf at the Byron Bay Golf Club but as tired and alone as she was, our little heifer soldiered on. After a spell on the back 9 (golfing lingo) she was found, wrangled and with a little help from the friendly ranger at Byron Shire Council escorted to the nearby Jarrett family’s farm. Because Noel is a caring and wise farmer he uses NILS tags so our little “swimmer” could now be identified and he could be contacted with even more help from the local NSW Agriculture

So back home for our heifer? Oh no – not yet – our protective biosecurity rules meant a spell in quarantine until September – but we prefer the term extended babymoon because this retreat lead to biggest surprise of them all. Remember the precious cargo? The one that was carefully stowed and protected throughout this entire ordeal? She came to begin her own life’s journey, delivered by mum who had fought the flood and won! Another beat the odds feat by “The Swimmer” as she was beginning to be known – because a sad fact is most cows in times of high stress and danger will lose their unborn calves.

The healthy and lively calf was a full two months old when together with mum they could finally return home to Noels farm in Coraki in September.

But the journey was yet to be completed. Now a legend among disaster support teams at NEMA, DPI and of course here at RFCSR “The Swimmer” and her calf made one final journey - to the regions finest field days and showcase of agriculture - PRIMEX FIELD DAYS - NSW - where she made sale and was onboarded to her forever home with her calf.

Did she attract a higher price? Some say her legend sent prices sky high – but that’s a story you’ll need to hear from Noel himself. Hit him up for a chat about “ The Swimmer” sometime as he tells it much better than we do. ????

He's pictured here with RFCSNR Director John Newcombe and National Emergency Management Agency ’s Kelly Moroney.

Of course while there’s tales like these, the work towards recovery continues for so many. The details and complications are vast and no one of us has all the answers. Together however, we can continue to not just recover but turn our sights to preparation for the future. For 30 years Rural Financial Counsellors have worked in communities to provide FREE support, planning, strategies for disruption and financial literacy to the regions. We will continue to do this work in collaboration our networks, through the relationships we take time and care to build and maintain. ???????????????????????????

Still with us? Thank you for reading the tale, reach out if you need help and may we all be kind to each other today and everyday – because together we can have the strength to “just keep swimming”. ???????????????????