A Tasmanian dairy farmer whose herd was trapped in floodwater has described how his cows climbed onto machinery to escape surging water.
Cows bunched up around the Heazlewoods’ dairy and barn in a sea of floodwater. (Copyright Neil Hargreaves)
Geoff and Anne Heazlewood’s Mersey Bank Jersey farm spans the rich river flats of the Mersey River, nestled behind the small rural community of Latrobe in northern Tasmania.
The couple was forced to evacuate when its property was engulfed with water late on Sunday, June 5.
They were helicopter-lifted to safety as water flooded into their barn, dairy and home, leaving their Jersey cows standing in almost a metre of water.
We’ve got photos of cows standing with their front feet up on machinery to get their heads up out of the water.
Dairy farmer Geoff Heazlewood
At the time of the evacuation, Mr Heazlewood couldn’t see their dairy, let alone any of his 250 Jersey milking cows and their calves.
He expected he would lose everything, having watched some of his cows being washed past his front gate in a torrent of floodwater.
The next day, he watched the farm from higher land in the Latrobe township with binoculars.
The herd remained remarkably calm given their ordeal in rapidly rising floodwaters. (Sally Dakis)
“We’ve got photos of cows standing with their front feet up on machinery to get their heads up out of the water,” he said.
“We could see the cows huddled in behind the barn. They were obviously in water over a metre deep.
“At that stage, I knew there were a few there if the water went down, I had no idea how many.”
On Tuesday when the flood waters dropped, Mr Heazlewood visited his farm on an Australian Army Unimog – a four wheel drive all terrain vehicle.
“I could see a few cows around, not many,” he said.
“I went back to the dairy and called, cows just arrived from everywhere.
In an emotion laden voice, he offered “that was … that was a bit heartening”.
The Heazlewood’s front garden is now covered in silt. On Monday morning floodwaters covered the top of the front fence and gate. (Sally Dakis)
Calves climbing stairs to escape water
Around half of Heazlewoods’ 48 Jersey calves survived, six of which they found in an abandoned 1850’s farmhouse.
“There is an old original homestead on the place, it’s dilapidated and no longer used but it’s got an internal staircase,” Mr Heazlewood said.
“The calves had gone up the staircase and when we called, down they came suggesting that it was a little bit late for breakfast.”
All but eight the couple’s 250 milking cows survived the flood.
Pools of water remain where the floodwaters raged the farm. The gate and fence are wrapped with vegetation carried by the water. All the roads and cow laneways have to be resurfaced. (Sally Dakis)
For the past few days, the Heazlewoods have milked their cows in their neighbour’s dairy, the Perkins Calthorpe Holstein stud.
“I cannot but emphasise the support of the community. Total strangers almost ringing up donating feed, donating places to stay,” Mr Heazlewood said.
“It’s just overwhelming the support of not only the local community, but all over Australia. We’ve had people wanting to fly in from all states to give us a hand.
“You just don’t realise how many friends you’ve got, it’s been amazing, absolutely amazing.
“We just wish it didn’t have to be in these circumstances.”
Geoff and Anne Heazlewood’s jersey cows can be seen sheltering together against the barn in the floodwaters from the nearby Mersey River. (Copyright Neil Hargreaves)
