Soldiers move donated furniture for Toowoomba residents

Members of 9th Force Support Battalion (9 FSB) helped transport $20,000 of donated furniture from a depot in Brisbane to grateful residents in Toowoomba after the flooding event in south-east Queensland earlier this year put a community housing estate under water.

CAPTION: From left, Sergeant Gareth Burrows, Private Rhys McBride, Private Omid Sharifi and Craftsman Ashley Doyle load donated furniture into one of the trucks. Story by Captain Annie Richardson. Photo by Sergeant Jason Slape.

Responding to a request from Community Housing Ltd (CHL) Queensland, 9 FSB personnel were happy to use their heavy vehicles to deliver the replacement furniture.

Community Development Manager for CHL Queensland Connie Crookshanks said the movement wouldn’t have been achievable without the support of 9 FSB.

“Some of our residents had lost everything, when over 60cm of water entered their homes,” Ms Crookshanks said.

“When the charity TheGood360 offered new furniture from Harvey Norman in Brisbane for each family we were floored but, unfortunately, we had no way to transport the goods from Brisbane to the complex in Toowoomba.

“We’re so grateful that the 9th Force Support Battalion were quick to respond with their people, their trucks, and their good humour.”

Commanding Officer 9 FSB Lieutenant Colonel Bronwyn Thomas said the day was an opportunity for members of the battalion to return to the same communities they had helped during Operation Flood Assist.

“We had many of our members who had deployed on Op Flood Assist raise their hands to participate in this task,” Lt-Col Thomas said.

“For our team, helping out and being in the community, which had welcomed them, was a very positive and important experience.

“It matters to our people to participate, not just in the recovery after a disaster, but the rebuild as well, and see life return to normal.”

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