RESIDENTS and holidaymakers from tornado-ravaged Mulwala queued outside the town’s civic centre yesterday to access information such as free legal advice.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“We are checking our insurance for our caravan with annexe to make sure we are properly covered and see what we have to do next,” said Mansfield’s Yvonne Robinson, who was holidaying at Denison County Caravan Park.
“It’s frustrating because a lot of people just want to get back in there and see if there’s anything to salvage.
“We were able to grab bedding, a microwave and a bike, that’s about it.”
Corowa Council community development officer Wendy Thompson said the information day allowed people to meet and talk with representatives from agencies and service providers about their needs and concerns.
“There was a lot of interest here today ... we had people lining up at the door at the start of the day” she said.
Julie Maron, a senior solicitor with Legal Aid NSW in Wagga, was offering free advice on insurance claims.
“It can be a hard and confusing process for people because some of them have never made an insurance claim in their life,” she said
“It can also be difficult if you are waiting for money to come through and your neighbour has already been paid out.”
NSW Environment Protection Authority, WorkCover, the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and Public Works Department representatives visited the caravan park yesterday.
Corowa Council’s environmental and planning director Bob Parr said the government representatives were allowed at several sites inside the caravan park.
“They had a look around to appreciate the size of the destruction,” he said.
“It’s one thing to see it in photographs but another to see it in person.”
The caravan park clean-up cannot start until the Environment Protection Authority finished its assessment of asbestos levels at the damaged properties.
The clean-up and recovery cost is still to be determined.