“Washed Away” was written in response to the catastrophic floods that hit the Queensland and New South Wales border region on Monday 28th February 2022. In the leadup there was several days of heavy rain which got worst. By daybreak, to see areas of my hometown submerged was heartbreaking and surreal.

I was working in a local bottle shop which was one of the few shops open in Murwillumbah. For seven days, there was limited power, no internet, no access to banks and limited food supplies. At night after cleaning up all day, people would meet up at the hotel to have a feed and drink and share their stories and experiences. I had scores of customers tell me that their house being completely inundated, damaged and lost contents. For some the only thing they were able to salvage was a pair of dry board shorts, or an electronic device. It was heartbreaking …. it was a very an emotional period for everyone. These stories inspired me to write “Washed Away” from a flood victims’ perspective.

Eleven months on, these people are still dealing with the recovery, without any clear direction from insurance companies, state and federal government/s. There is no closure at all. Unfortunately, these floods continued throughout Australia eerily in a similar path and pattern to the 2019/202 bushfires. As of January 2023, floods were engulfing large parts of the Kimberley in North-western Australia after months of severe flooding in the Murray Darling basin. Internationally Pakistan recorded its largest flood event displacing 25 million people and forcing more people into poverty. Climate change is starting to rear its head with these catastrophic events.

This song is dedicated to all communities affected by the 2022 flood events. This is a story that had to be told. Hopefully “Washed Away” conveys what it felt like at the time from a flood victims’ perspective.

Ollie - February 2023