Adele Johnson · 40 min
Adele Johnson turned childhood memories of a remote Murray River settlement into her family's forever home, then watched floodwaters slowly surround it, navigating 70 days of generator hum, boat commutes at midnight, and a community that never stopped asking how they could help.
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Adele Johnson grew up spending summers at a remote settlement called Pyatt, 12 kilometres outside Loxton on the Murray River. When the property came up for sale in 2015, she and her partner Justin bought it together with her mum and sister. What began as childhood memory became home: Adele works as a baker at Loxton Country Bakehouse, Justin runs an earthmoving business, and they raised three children across 250 acres of floodplain with two dogs, two cats, and twenty chooks. They knew the risks. The first shack on the property had gone under in the 1956 flood, so the second one was built higher. They'd lived through a smaller flood in 2016. When warnings came in 2022 that the Murray would rise beyond even that, Adele and Justin prepared what they could: jacking up their daughter Chelsea's shipping container bedroom, moving livestock to high ground, marking out flood predictions with a laser level.
But the 2022 flood didn't follow the old patterns. It came slower than expected, then faster. For 70 days, Adele drove a boat across the floodplain at night to reach her bakery job in town, navigating by white reflector posts she'd hammered onto trees. The family stayed put. They couldn't leave. The water seeped into every low point on the property, moving with a laziness an old caretaker had once described to her: water always finds the easiest path. Around them, neighbours rebuilt, the community showed up without being asked, and Loxton itself stayed dry and bustling. Adele still gets that feeling driving down the hill to her home on the river. She plans to stay.
“It was slow to get down here. But then when it did, it just seemed to rise pretty quickly. Like each day you'd go, oh, look at where the water's coming in from creeks down the river into our property and all that.”
“We're out there one night banging white posts onto trees so we knew where to go with reflectors on cuz I did for a while drive out at nighttime in a boat and in a car to go to work at midnight.”
“Everyone was just wanting to help out and do whatever they could to give you a hand.”
The hero, today
Adele knew flood risk when she bought the property, the second shack was built higher than the 1956 flood level after the first one went under, but the 2022 flood still came faster and higher than the 2016 one she'd already lived through. She drove a boat across the floodplain at night to get to her bakery job in town, marking tree routes with white reflector posts so she could see where to go in the dark. When the flood came, there was no packing up and leaving: six people, two dogs, two cats, and 20 chooks meant staying put, so the family did what they could to protect the upper shack, the animals, and Chelsea's shipping container bedroom. Adele learned from an old caretaker that water is lazy and always finds the easiest path to travel, and watching the floodwaters seep in everywhere proved him right. The Riverland community came together after the flood to help clean up and rebuild, and Adele felt that small-town connection was something a city disaster wouldn't create in the same way. By the time she finishes paying off the property, Adele expects to be about 100 years old, but she plans to stay; she still gets that feeling of excitement driving down the hill to her home on the river.
Yes. Adele Johnson is a real person who shared their own story in their own words. Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit that shares first-person stories of overcoming adversity, told with the person's consent.
Kintsugi Heroes, a registered Australian not-for-profit. Every story is shared with the hero's own consent and reviewed under Kintsugi Heroes' trauma-informed content standard before it goes public.
Adele knew flood risk when she bought the property, the second shack was built higher than the 1956 flood level after the first one went under, but the 2022 flood still came faster and higher than the 2016 one she'd already lived through.
She drove a boat across the floodplain at night to get to her bakery job in town, marking tree routes with white reflector posts so she could see where to go in the dark.
When the flood came, there was no packing up and leaving: six people, two dogs, two cats, and 20 chooks meant staying put, so the family did what they could to protect the upper shack, the animals, and Chelsea's shipping container bedroom.
John Milham (Host) · 00:00
Kintsugi Heroes brings you the following River Murray flood recovery story, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and South Australian governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. To find out more about this podcast, head to kintsugiheroes.com.au. The 2022 River Murray floods in South Australia were caused by record water inflows from the Murray-Darling Basin due to heavy upstream rainfall. The slowly rising floodwaters inundated homes, businesses, and farmland, causing widespread displacement, infrastructure damage, and agricultural losses. The disaster significantly impacted local economies, communities, and led to the region's long-term recovery. In this special limited series of Kintsugi Heroes, John Milham sits down with members of the Riverlands community and gives them space to share their experiences of their personal adversity diversity and community resilience. It's only through connection and empathy that there can be a path to recovery. In this episode, we meet Adele Johnson, who lives with her family on 250 acres along the Murray River near Pyatt, just outside Loxton. Adele shares her story of childhood holidays on the river to making it her home, building memories and community. She describes the slow approach and sudden rise of the 2022 Murray River floods, how her family prepared, and what daily life was like as water surrounded their home. Through practical challenges and strong community support, Adele paints a clear picture of resilience and life by the river during a major flood. So, um, ladies and gentlemen and listeners to Katsugi Heroes, welcome again to a session, another session, uh, on the River Murray stories, uh, recovery stories around the 2022 floods. Um, and, uh, we are again, um, privileged to talk to a local who has a unique flood story and, you know, an important piece of the puzzle for the, you know, to share around that period of time in the Riverland. Welcome, Adele Johnson. Welcome.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 02:36
Thank you. Thank you.
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Adele learned from an old caretaker that water is lazy and always finds the easiest path to travel, and watching the floodwaters seep in everywhere proved him right.
This conversation includes childhood summers at pyatt, buying the place with justin, making a life on the river plain, justin marks where the water will reach, boating to work at midnight and the town keeps moving.
John Milham (Host) · 02:38
So nice to have you on. First of all, let's share with the listeners where you are.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 02:45
Yeah, so we're about 12 kilometers out of Loxton at a place called Pyatt, which was like, yeah, a little settlement that they first started when they did all like the River Murray first got up and running with everything. And yeah, it sort of dwindled out a bit and yeah, there's not really too many of us out here now where we are. It's sort of had a bit of a resurgence in probably the last 10 years. There's quite a few like younger families have moved out here now too and Um, yeah, the local bus probably picks up almost about 15 kids out here now. So, um, yeah, it's sort of gone back to being a bit more of a thriving metropolis. I love that.
John Milham (Host) · 03:26
Well, endless optimism from the people on the Murray, right? But, um, historic town, right? And a historic part of the area. What made that, um, what made that a center in the early days?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 03:44
I think they were just, they started up as like parcels of farmland and, you know, people got their, you know, parcel of land and with the, like the river being right out the front here, obviously, yep, they traded with the like paddle boats and all that sort of stuff. And then, you know, people wanting to, you know, be bigger than everyone and be the boss, it's sort of, they ended up fighting with each other and eventually it all, yeah, fizzled out. So, yeah, everyone sort of disbanded and whatnot. But yeah, there was a school here and everything as well. And yeah, it's, yeah, quite, quite got a good little bit of history. And there's actually, yeah, we've got this little relic up on the top of the hill which used to pump the steam out of, or the steam out of the water, or water out of the river, sorry. And that's where the steam got let out and Yeah, so where that's still standing.
John Milham (Host) · 04:35
But yeah, it's a, it's a, um, an interesting place, right? So it's where the river meets the, the, the desert. It's, it's quite, uh, you know, like, well, it's not desert, but that sort of, it looks a bit stark at times.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 04:49
It sure does. Yeah, at the moment it does up the top. Yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 04:53
So yeah, and of course you're perched above the river, so.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 04:57
Yes. Yeah, well, we're, we're, uh, we are right on the river Yeah, so we've got about 650 meters of river frontage, so we've got uninterrupted views across the river and look at Katarapko National Park across there. So yeah, we're very, very fortunate and lucky to own this lovely parcel of land.
John Milham (Host) · 05:17
Of course, you're giving us a great impression, Rob, with the corrugated iron shed and the Major Mitchell behind you, right? So yeah.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 05:26
Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty rustic out here. There's nothing flashy about our place, that's for sure. I love it.
John Milham (Host) · 05:32
It's the best kind of podcast booth, right?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 05:34
Yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 05:35
Um, so how did you end up here?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 05:39
Um, yeah, so we, uh, me and my sister and family, we used to come up here with, um, a lady who we grew up with. She's basically almost our second mother and her family. So her cousins owned this place. And so yeah, we've been coming up here since I was about probably 8 or 9. And so yeah, I've got very fond memories of being up here running around as kids, like, because no one lived here. It was, um, yeah, they got old and moved into town to retire. And so it was just two basic shacks that, um, yeah, we used to camp outside on, you know, there's nothing, you know, kitchen and whatnot to make your meals and whatever. But yeah, just we used to run amok up here and, you know, obviously boating and all that. And, um, yeah, so it was just, um, that's how we came to know about this place. And then, um, Jane, who was my second mum, she, um, said to me, oh, like, well, this is what, 2000, end of, or about 2015, that they were looking to sell it. Um, I'd met my partner Justin in 2014, and, um, Anyway, I said to him, I said, oh, we've got to go, I want to buy this place on the river. And he said, I've always wanted a place up there. And so anyway, we came up to the open inspection and blah, blah, blah. And anyway, the next following week we came up for the auction and we were lucky enough to purchase it. So, um, yeah, so me and Justin and my mum and my sister Lauren, um, yeah, we all went in on it. So, uh, Yeah, so that was end of 2015. So yeah, sorry Justin, you're tied to me now.
John Milham (Host) · 07:21
So yeah, you know, he can't get away without, uh, if he wanted to, unless he knows. It's amazing, uh, you know, that how many stories I find of that area where people are drawn, you know, they have a childhood experience or whatever and they keep— they're drawn back or they're drawn into it, right?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 07:41
And that's what, that was what it was like. And I still remember Jane saying, oh, it's a lot of work, you know, because it is on 250 acres, what, more basically floodplain. Um, and I said, oh, you know, Justin's pretty handy, and he is. He's got his Bobcat, he's got this, he's got that lot. So yeah, he's, we've, he's, he's done a lot around the place, so he's done heaps. Um, but yeah, it's it wasn't heat because she was like, oh, worried that, you know, we're just going to come up here and just sit around like we used to do and blah blah blah. But no, it's certainly become— we've made it into a home. And, um, yeah, we've, yeah, had it for just over 10 years now.
John Milham (Host) · 08:21
So, and how do you make it work?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 08:24
Um, well, we don't farm anything or anything. We just basically live here. Um, yeah, um, I work at, I'm a baker at the Loxton Country Bakehouse in town, and Justin is in earthmoving. And I've got two, well, Justin's got two kids from his previous marriage, and one lives at home with us. And then got two girls ourselves. We've got Charlie, who's 6 going on 16, and I've got Maisie, and she's 3, just gone 3. Yeah, but you know, you make it work.
John Milham (Host) · 09:00
Loxton Country Bakery, that's the best pies in the Riverland.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 09:02
Is that how it is? Oh yes, yeah, I won't argue about that with you. No, they are good.
John Milham (Host) · 09:10
Absolutely. I love a good country pie. It sounds amazing, and I love that you guys, you know, you visit and you end up with, you know, brown water in your veins, and you come back and you make a life out of it. So 250 acres on the, on of river plain, you knew what you were doing, right? This wasn't a, a surprise with a high water event.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 09:33
No. So, um, at the end of 2016, um, we did have a small flood, um, nowhere near obviously as big as 2022, nowhere near that. Um, yeah, so it was definitely an eye-opener when the flood started coming and So the bottom shack was built in the '30s, and so that went under in '56. So then they got smart and carted lots of red sand from at the top of the property and built up the second one. So if it ever happened again, then this one was— the top one was higher than '56. So the bottom shack, we probably had— if we'd had probably another 20 mil of water come in, we would've been You know, getting a little bit worried about the bottom here, cuz that would've probably been starting to almost go under or starting to lap at the doors.
John Milham (Host) · 10:27
So it's interesting because you are the property owing to the law of '56, which is the great flood, right? You know, the flood. You've benefited from that law, from that law.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 10:40
Certainly, certainly. They, yeah, it's, I mean, like the shack they built, just a besser block shack and whatever, but Yeah, they made do with what they had and it probably would withstand a flood too, but the bottom one's just only a bit of weatherboard, so that would probably be a little bit dicey if we do experience it again, if it goes higher again, because that's what people are saying, that it is going to come again and it's going to be bigger, and I'm like, I don't know if I want to do this again, but anyway.
John Milham (Host) · 11:08
People love telling those stories, right? There's plenty of those stories, Auntie, we've heard.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 11:13
Oh yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 11:14
Interviews, right? So yeah, um, tell us a little bit about like, so, you know, you'd been here 10 years, right? And you obviously, you know, being connected to the community now and so on, you, when the word went out that there was a flood coming, and this is a weird thing because you've given months, yeah, of warning, what was that like for you? What, what, what did you think and And what did you sort of resolve?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 11:41
I still remember, I still remember, like, everyone was sort of talking about a flood. And, um, I still remember being at work and one of my workmates, he said, he goes, oh, well, you'll be getting flooded. I'm like, what are you talking about? He goes, oh, the flood, like, you guys will, like, get flooded out there. And I'm like, nah, nah, we'll be right, we'll be right. And, um, yeah, Justin sort of did some calculations and everything, and he was out with his, um, laser level and working out markers and all that of where, you know, because they were saying that predicting what was going to come down and marking out where those sort of spots were around the property. And yeah, so then it was just sort of a matter of moving a bit of shit that we wanted to, um, that was important. Um, wasn't really too much that we had to— poor Chooks had to be relocated, um, to the highest point point possible. So, um, yeah, we would. And yeah, um, Chelsea's the older daughter who lives here with us, um, she's got a converted shipping container as a bedroom. So yeah, we made measures to jack that up as well, and luckily we did, or else that would have been flooded. Um, so yeah, they were sort of probably the only prep things we did. And then the neighbors who live or who have the property next door, they are in their 80s and, um, aren't up here. That's just their holiday house. So we went and moved a bit of stuff for them as well because, um, I obviously couldn't get up here all the time. And then, yeah, it was just sort of like every night we'd just do a bit. And like, luckily we've got good neighbors up across the road that we, um, moved all our stuff up there.
John Milham (Host) · 13:19
Oh great. So was that You obviously there, was it the subject of discussion in the community?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 13:27
Was it like, oh yeah, yeah, everyone's like, oh, you flooded yet? And oh, what's it like now? And it was, to be honest, it was slow to get down here, but then when it did, it just seemed to rise pretty quickly. Like each day you'd got, like to begin with, I remember we'd be out driving around the paddocks and we'd be like, oh, look at where the water's coming in from creeks down the river into our property and all that. And then eventually, you know, it's getting closer and closer. So yeah, just, we got a few loads of rubble in for our driveway, um, just so we could keep accessing that for as long as we could. Um, and then yeah, obviously then in the end we ended up boating in and out of the place. So wow. So yeah, then we had to make, because you know, it's like floodplain out the back, it was, um, creeks out there too. So we had a creek and a set sort of route. So we're out there one night banging, um, um, white posts onto trees so we knew where to go with reflectors on, because I did for a while drive out at nighttime in a boat and in a car, um, to go to work at midnight. So, wow, that was fun.
John Milham (Host) · 14:35
My goodness, that's wild. Yeah. Um, yeah, what, what do you think, um, you know, what was the general mood? Was the community worried? Were they Confused, positive, were they confident?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 14:47
Loxton had nothing to worry about because that's so high there anyway. Obviously the caravan park and all that, that's right on the river, so that went under a fair bit. But no, it was generally— look, I don't— I mean, everyone was, you know, saying, you know, if you need anything, let us know. If you need a place to sleep, if you need to move out and all that. But like, for us to move out, well, there were 6 of us living here at that time. And, and we've got 2 dogs, 2 cats, 20 chooks. It was like, well, what do you do? Like, you can't just sort of pack up and close your door and leave. Like, um, yeah, but yeah, yeah, it was, it was good. And every time you went into town, it was just like, oh, how you going? And all that. So that was generally pretty upbeat. And then of course, um, obviously people coming up here to have a look at the water too, so that brought, um, you know dollars into the community too, I guess.
John Milham (Host) · 15:40
Yeah, yeah, more pies sold.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 15:42
Yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 15:45
Um, you mentioned the caravan park because that's a big, um, sort of part of the economy of Loxton and that area as well.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 15:54
Yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 15:54
And they, they struggled for a while. Yeah. How's that going?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 15:59
Yeah, look, I think it like they bounce back all right too now, I think. Um, No, honestly, I think they need a good upgrade down there, like make better use of it, like Renmark and all that have. Like, when you go and have a look at theirs, Loxton could benefit a lot for that too. Um, but yeah, I think, you know, even down the park there, like, like after the flood, obviously everything was just mush, like the grass is mushy and looks disgusting. But no, it's all looking pretty good down there now. And yeah, it's back to almost you couldn't really tell, um, that there's been a flood except for the markers on the tree.
John Milham (Host) · 16:34
Yeah, yeah. And, um, you know, and your white posts are still there, are they?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 16:39
Yes. Oh, yep, yeah, because we had them all up our driveway too. So yeah, they look a bit stupid just hanging in trees at the moment. But, um, yeah, if it ever happens again, we'll probably clear out a bit more because, you know, it was— there's lots of logs and stuff out there that you had to sort of remember where they were and Obviously a lot of stuff flowing through as well. We ended up with a lot of neighbors' pallets.
John Milham (Host) · 17:04
I'm doing a little bit of a survey, right, of people, of the things that people saw floating down the river. Was there anything that you captured your attention?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 17:13
Well, it still does because I see it every day when I drive home, but in next door neighbor's paddock is an old Peter's Ice Cream, like what you used to have in the servos and stuff. There's one of them that's stuck like halfway up a tree.
John Milham (Host) · 17:27
That's like a work of art, not rubbish.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 17:29
Yeah, yeah. And then, um, a bit further down, like when you're out in the river now, um, uh, yeah, a couple people's place down there, a pontoon, um, they didn't quite secure it properly, so it's sort of hanging just on a tree like in the middle of nowhere. So yeah, but no, there wasn't really that much It was probably more at the start when everything was sort of slowly moving down that, yeah, you know, your logs and all that, like big branches too. But, um, it was, yeah, I guess they made the right call there by banning boating and everything out there because it was just, it didn't look like it was going fast, but it was. And, um, you just didn't know what was underneath. And you still, I mean, it's like the river at any time, you don't know. But yeah, certainly um, a lot more crap floating around, but that's fine.
John Milham (Host) · 18:19
Yeah. Are you a river woman?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 18:22
Yeah, I like the water. Yeah, yep, yep, yep.
John Milham (Host) · 18:25
What's your favorite thing about living by the river?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 18:27
Um, oh, the fact it changes every day. Um, like yesterday it was blowing its ass off. I hate it when it's windy here. Um, that's probably my only pet hate is the wind. Um, but then today it's calm. It's, yeah, just peaceful and beautiful. And, you know, you've got the birds and just, yeah, it's just lovely. Yep.
John Milham (Host) · 18:51
Oh, that's, uh, that seems to be, um, you know, a thing people do, which is lovely. Like, they really take in the environment, right? Is it, do you think people who along the river, you think they actually are connected to the place? Is that like, Is there power in that?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 19:09
I don't know, like maybe some people, like obviously I can't really speak about that because we haven't been here that long. Um, you know, I've actually only been up here, we've owned it for 10 years, I've been up here for, uh, 5, coming up 5, 6 years now. Um, but yeah, you do sort of feel, you know, I still get that tingly, or not tingly feeling, but you know, driving down the hill and like, oh look, I'm on my swine, like that sort kind of thing. I still— yeah, that is still exciting. Um, but I guess the people who have lived here all their life and worked, you know, and, you know, like in citrus, and now almonds are a big thing and all that sort of stuff, well, yeah, they probably would be, um, yeah, it's their lifeblood as well.
John Milham (Host) · 19:52
Do you feel responsible for the river?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 19:55
No, not really, no.
John Milham (Host) · 19:59
But so the, the flood is not just like, you know, the things that float around and stuff, because it's cleaned out a lot of the, you know, it has.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 20:09
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't like, so when the 2016 flood, um, there was heaps of black water and like I still remember it was like swimming in, looked like tar or coke actually, um, that's how black it was. And, uh, but with the flood it didn't seem to have that, like I don't know whether that the '16 flood sort of wash that out a bit more and there wasn't as much, you know, dead debris, you know, over on Katarapka Island, all that sort of stuff, you know, that came through. But, um, yeah, we certainly ended up with, yeah, a lot of shit everywhere. But, um, yeah, you get that.
John Milham (Host) · 20:47
Um, so you mentioned, you know, like the, the, um, locals talk about another flood, you know, think floods come in twos or something.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 20:58
Yes, yes.
John Milham (Host) · 20:59
Yeah, yeah.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 21:00
So, but they're usually consecutive years, so hopefully it's dried out enough and, uh, that if it does happen, it might take a while to replenish everywhere first before it gets down here. Um, you know, because it has to fill up a lot of places before it does get down here too.
John Milham (Host) · 21:18
So I can't help, you know, having chatted to you guys for, you know, a number of years now, day I look at the record Queensland floods in the last— yeah, and I'm going, I wonder if, uh, you know, my friends in on the Murray will, uh, be wearing that in 12 months.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 21:37
Yes, well, that— yeah, that's right. Um, a lot of it, like the higher stuff, won't get down here because it's not going into the right places. But, um, it'll be interesting to see whether it does make its way down or we get any of it, like benefits of it, because I mean, it is always nice to see a full river, but just not as full as what it was in 2022. No, no.
John Milham (Host) · 22:00
Have you made plans, right? Do you have a second event plan now that you've been through the first one?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 22:09
No, because we're pretty— well, we've got a generator now. Probably, if anything, Justin would probably put a few pipes and stuff under our driveway just to do a bit of earth moving stuff. And so then we can access the driveway for a bit longer. Um, we were lucky we had like an off-road car and an old Bedford truck that we trundled up and down and up the driveway for as long as we could until the water was just too high for them. And yeah, like I said, that was when we went to the boat. Um, yeah, probably putting— digging out the channel a bit more and just sort of, um Yeah, having that and cleaning up a bit. I managed to get the tinny stuck on an old barbed wire fence, so that was fun. And where we were boating over to the neighbor's place, yeah, I bent the gate pretty good because you had to get the boat at the right angle to get through the gate. So I've requested, if it happens again, a wider gate opening so I can navigate the boat in and out.
John Milham (Host) · 23:10
Pretty wild. You've got to, you know, you've got to imagine how you drive a boat across the land, right?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 23:17
Yeah, well, that, that's it. You sort of picked where your markers were and you knew sort of where you were headed. And, um, but you know, just say that you've, you know, driven over the road, that dirt road to your neighbor's house, and parked in their driveway in your boat. Like, it's, uh, it's beautiful. Yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 23:35
Have you thought about, um, putting some sand down to create a beach the next flood, right?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 23:39
Well, Funny that, because in front of our place, like, it's quite— or not state rock, some places are, but it was always pretty clay and stuff in the water there. But now it's because we've had so much water, we've got some really nice, yeah, orange sand there now. So it's actually quite good getting in and out the boat and everything and going into the water. It's quite nice. So we've been fortunate enough, yeah, to get some sand out of it. Wow.
John Milham (Host) · 24:07
Yeah, that sounds cool. Hey, um, you know, interesting you're having a partner, um, who is in earthmoving. That would have been a wild time. Was he, was he fully engaged?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 24:21
Yeah, yeah. So he did a lot of the levee banks over in Renmark and, um, down at Marook. Um, yeah, so he, he was pretty busy. Um, I think all the earth moving companies up here were at that time because it was sort of just a bit of a, you know, shit, we need to get stuff happening and infrastructure in place. And, um, probably if I was living in Renmark, I would have been panicking a bit. Um, yeah, they— yeah, that's— yeah, I don't know why they're building what they're going to build out there again because that— yeah, it's— anyway, that's up to them. So But, um, obviously, you know, it's like where you look at where the water went to, it's like, why would you be building there? Well, I wouldn't be.
John Milham (Host) · 25:05
But yeah, people, you know, on a day like today, they, they'd want to be next to the river.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 25:12
Yeah, true, true, I guess. But yeah, not when you're—
John Milham (Host) · 25:16
wild what people will sign up for. Oh yeah, speaking of Renmark, of course, like, um, so the— I was talking to the mayor and he He was talking about the contractors, like Justin, and gave them a huge rep, said they, they did an amazing job.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 25:30
Yeah, they certainly did. And I mean, really, they, you know, saved the Renmark Hospital and all that sort of stuff as well. Um, and the levee banks they were building were huge, like even down at Cobb-Dobler as well, like, um, big levee banks down there as well. When I mean, most of them are still standing up, or still standing. They've demolished a few of them around the place, but, um I guess they're there now if they do need them again, and they probably just need a bit of tidying up. But yeah, they're there, the infrastructure's there if need be.
John Milham (Host) · 26:03
Fabulous. Do you feel like you've learned more about the place you live?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 26:08
Probably. It's just amazing where the water comes from and, you know, how it where it travels. So an old man who used to come out here and look after the place when we weren't here, he always just said that water always is lazy and always find the easiest place to go to. And it was so true, like it just, yeah, amazing how it just seeped in everywhere and just filled that up and then it would go, go off again. And yeah, it's quite, it was interesting, that's for sure.
John Milham (Host) · 26:43
And It's kind of wonderful that you can look back at that and say it's interesting rather, because many of your neighbors and areas around you were impacted. People who didn't have, you know, uh, uh, uh, you know, ended up being, you know, knocked flat, lost, you know, property and all that stuff. So, you know, such, you know, fabulous outcome for you. How has other people's, you know, challenges impacted the community and You know, from your perspective, what do you see around you?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 27:18
Well, I guess, I guess they've rebuilt, I guess, as much as they can. Yeah, like people down the road, their pump shed, Justin went down there and did the surveying on that and said, you need to go higher with your levee bank that you put in or else you're going to lose that. And so they listened to him and did that. And so that saved their baking a bit. Um, yeah, it's hard to say because I mean a lot of it— I mean, yeah, like over— if you drive over and have a look at the houses over near Cobdorble, there was one over there that you just watched like it was in the middle of a levee bank, but it was on the wrong side of the levee bank. And, um, yeah, you just think the clean up there. And also, yeah, down at, um, Morgan and, um, Walker's Flat, like Yeah, you could drive in there after and just looking at where the mark was on houses, it's just, you know, the cleanup for them was, um, pretty big down there, that's for sure.
John Milham (Host) · 28:19
Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely. Yeah. And of course, do you see like that kind of disaster can, you know, in, in, can leave a sort of positive community feeling, or it can you know, be, be a bit of a downer. What, what do you think?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 28:38
I think it was, I think it was pretty positive really. Like, you know, everyone was after, you know, willing to do whatever they could to help clean up. And obviously like they had packages from the government to, you know, help you if, you know, you did need it and all that sort of stuff. Um, yeah, I was trying to think where we driving, driving through like back of Mannum as well. Like, um, yeah, and just all the stuff that people had chucked out was just waiting to be picked up like out of their shacks and all that was, yeah, amazing. But yeah, I think really probably, yeah, the community probably came together a bit more too. And, um, that's the beauty of still probably, um, feeling up here is it's still a community-based or feel— feeling town. Like, not like you, you know, if you was in the city and some sort of disaster happened, I don't think you'd probably have the, um, same sort of, um, feeling. Um, but yeah, certainly, uh, yeah, like I said, everyone was just wanting to help out and do whatever they could to give you a hand.
John Milham (Host) · 29:41
It's beautiful. Going forward, um, what, what do you, what are your plans? Are you in your forever home?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 29:49
I would think so, yes, yes. By the time I finish paying it off, I'll be probably 100, but that's okay.
John Milham (Host) · 29:57
What is it, what's your, uh, yeah, what's your plan with the river? What's your favorite activity?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 30:03
No, I just, I just like sitting around like with friends. You know, it, that is, it is great. Like I used to be able to kneeboard. I'm a little bit unfit at the moment. I don't think I could pull myself up onto a kneeboard at the moment, but even just going out in the boat and just cruising around and just having a look at everything that's, you know, it changes every day and you just, yeah, don't know what's going to be Yeah, around like, yeah, the other day we just had a tree just fall in the water, and so now it's like, oh great, we've got to remember that's there when we're out and about again. And hey, but no, it's just, yeah, lovely.
John Milham (Host) · 30:40
And yeah, what's it like, um, raising kids in your part of the, of Australia?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 30:45
Um, well, Charlie loves it. She loves running around and she's an outside kid. Um, Maisie, she's got Down syndrome, so, um, she's going to be a handful. We're going to have to, um, guard the fences again or raise the fences again when she finally gets on the move. Um, we did have to put a fence up when Charlie was little too, because one day she was standing out on the jetty in the middle of the river. So that was an eye-opener, but she knows now that she's not allowed in the water without a life jacket. She goes in, and before she jumps in, she has to go in and check that there's nothing underneath, and all that. So, um, yeah, she's, uh, pretty good with it all, but Maisie's going to probably be a bit of a handful. But yeah, the lifestyle is just, you know, we're outside most of the time. Like, we're not, yeah, inside a great deal. I mean, in wintertime, we've either got the fire going outside here and sit down and watch TV under the shell— under here, um, and whatnot. I mean, when it's bitterly cold, you're inside the heater, but, um, Of course, Adelaide's wonderful for that, like both the bitter cold and the— oh yeah, the frost. The frosts here are horrible. The frosts here are horrible. I think, you know, a couple mornings we've had last year was like -5 when I was getting home from work at 6:30 in the morning. And yeah, certainly fresh.
John Milham (Host) · 32:10
40 degrees to -5. Yeah, Australia's got to be crazy sometimes.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 32:14
It is, it is crazy. It is.
John Milham (Host) · 32:17
The, um, what's so— and something that, um, I didn't know until I was down there just touring recently, um, you guys have an amazing sky.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 32:31
Yes. Oh yes, yes. Um, yeah, the sky is— and because we've got hardly any lights out here either, um, that is one of my favorite things too, is, um yeah, looking at the stars each night. And the other week when that Elon Musk SkyTrail thing— I got Justin up, I'm like, here, come and have a look at this. And it's just like all these satellites after satellite, and it's just like clear as day just above you. It was quite amazing. And yeah, definitely, I'm a bit of a stargazer at the best of times. So, um, yeah, always out here sort of with me binoculars. And I want to get a telescope next. That's my next thing. Beautiful.
John Milham (Host) · 33:10
What do you think of the— what's the area need going forward, right? So, you know, a lot of people have been— the flood in '22 both sort of highlighted the history of the place but also the future challenges. So, you know, it's a tough place to live and it's, you know, it's got the, you know, got to make make a living and it's gotta go forward. What do you, what, what sense do you have of what, what the area, you know, brings and what it needs?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 33:44
I love Renmark's, what they've done down there on their, yeah, along the riverbank there. That is fantastic.
John Milham (Host) · 33:51
New shop and everything. Yeah.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 33:52
Yeah. I think Loxton would be, would benefit them too. Just like the ease of it. And just, I mean, Loxton Riverfront is lovely too, but when you look at what Redmark's got and, um, you think, geez, that would be nice to have in any, any of the places too. Um, so, uh, yeah, I mean, they've got a bit of a cleanup in Berry as well, like with where the water got in, like the road and all that, that got pretty badly damaged. So I think once that infrastructure's back, that will be a benefit for the town as well. Um, yeah, it's, it's a hard question. I just sort of, I like the place. I like it the way it is. It's just, just nice. It's still got your country vibe to it. That's what is still a good attraction for me.
John Milham (Host) · 34:39
And, um, um, what's the, uh, so you're a baker. How did you end up being a baker?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 34:45
I started baking after I left school and, um, did a 3-month, um, TAFE course and then end up getting an apprenticeship down in Unley, um, because I lived in Hahndorf. And yeah, from there, worked there for about a year and a half, then got a transfer to Mount Barker and worked there for about 18 years until I got pregnant with Charlie. And then that was when we decided we'd move up here full-time and whatever. And, um, yeah, so I had a couple years off and then started back baking when Charlie turned 2. So, um, I'd known Tim. He was, um, one of my lecturers back in the day at, um, TAFE. And, um, so he had heard that I was moving up here and got in touch and asked if I wanted a job and all that. And the rest is history, I guess you could say.
John Milham (Host) · 35:38
So, um, and so what's the, um, uh, the Riverland choice of pastry?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 35:44
Uh, oh, the pies are Pies, probably pies. Yep, yep.
John Milham (Host) · 35:50
There's a great, uh, I, I sat down and had a great coffee and pie at Manum too. So clearly there's a competition around.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 35:59
So yes, yeah, no, there is a few good little hot spots for bakeries. Um, Tailand Bend's another good bakery too if you're out and about.
John Milham (Host) · 36:08
I definitely make, put it, put the, uh, the pie expedition on the, on the book.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 36:14
Yes, for sure. For sure. Yes.
John Milham (Host) · 36:17
And just, just thinking finally, what, what, um, what do you, uh, most, uh, hope for, uh, in your future, your, you and your family? What's, what are you looking forward to?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 36:31
Um, I don't know, just probably to have healthy and happy lifestyle and, you know, just, yeah, enjoy what we've got. And, you know, sometimes it's just nice to sit down and not do anything. I mean, there is always— like, you look around and you think, crikey, there's toys over there that need to be cleaned up, or that needs to be done, the garden needs to be weeded and, um, whatnot. But sometimes it's just nice to sit and just chill too and appreciate what we've got and how lucky we are as well.
John Milham (Host) · 37:02
That's wonderful. Um, you know, even that you watched, you know, your— you— they put the, um, cottage high enough right? So you had space. Do you think it needs to be higher, or like, are you feeling safe?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 37:15
Um, if we had to live up there on the top one, yeah, we'd be all right. We'd be all right, because that's got the toilet and the kitchen up that one, so that's okay. I just, I just don't know whether I could stand the docile hum of a generator, because after 70 days, that was certainly wearing a bit thin. And obviously the amount of money that it cost to run that, but it was what we had to do. And yeah, and I mean, probably we're lucky that we're far enough downstream that, you know, if we have to move stuff again, then we've got the time. It's not just like a flash flood that, you know, like Queensland are experiencing too. Like they've left and they've come back to utter devastation. And I mean, people did on the Murray too, but everyone had forewarning too that, um, it was going to happen as well.
John Milham (Host) · 38:05
So we're probably lucky in that sense that, um, yeah, it's such a, it's such a weird concept, right? When you're, you're sitting there watching the water, right? It's like an inevitable, you know, action, but it's like, you know, creeps forward rather than rough.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 38:23
Yeah.
John Milham (Host) · 38:24
And then it doesn't go, right?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 38:26
Yeah. Yep.
John Milham (Host) · 38:27
Thank you so much for giving us such a vivid description of your place and the impact of the flood. It's been wonderful chatting.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 38:37
Yeah, it's lovely. It's been great chatting to you too.
John Milham (Host) · 38:40
And I'm looking forward to, you know, to tasting a pie and to seeing more of the country. It's just an amazing place.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 38:49
Yes, it certainly is.
John Milham (Host) · 38:50
It is an amazing place.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 38:51
It is, yes. It's great. It is nice.
John Milham (Host) · 38:55
Good luck with all the high water events coming.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 38:57
Thank you. Thank you. Hopefully not for a while yet.
John Milham (Host) · 39:00
No, no, indeed. Hopefully the law is a little late this time, right?
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 39:04
Yes, correct. Correct. That's, yeah, hopefully they've got it a bit wrong this time.
John Milham (Host) · 39:09
So, Adele Johnson, thank you so much for talking and sharing your story with Katsugi Heroes. Many thanks.
Adele Johnson (Guest) · 39:15
Thank you.
John Milham (Host) · 39:17
Thank you for listening to this episode of Riverland recovery stories. If anything in this conversation has had a triggering effect, please seek support and reach out to someone who can help keep you safe. If you found this conversation interesting or helpful, please share it with your friends, family, and colleagues so we can help more people with their recovery from natural disasters. To find out more about Kintsugi Heroes and our other projects, head to kintsugiheroes.com. Thank you to our production team, Kintsugi Heroes volunteers, and most importantly, the Riverland community for sharing their lived experience.
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