As floodwater crept toward homes in South Maitland and Louth Park, and some residents prepared to leave over the weekend, SES and Rural Fire Service officers rescued horses, cattle and camels huddling on low ground.
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Using an amphibious vehicle, ropes and blowing loud horns, the rescue teams rounded up the animals and took them to safety.
“The water has been rising and several cattle and horses were threatened by this,” Captain John Ryan of the Lower Hunter Rural Fire Service said at Louth Park.
“But we herded cattle, horses and some camels to ground where they owner corralled them.
“Two were saved by an amphibious vehicle.
“We used horns to scare them back away from the water and they came over quickly because they were spooked by it all.”
The RFS then organised three helicopters to drop emergency supplies for residents living on the Gillieston island side.
“There is still quite a bit of water to come down, but it doesn’t appear to have moved very much in the past two or three nights,” Captain Ryan said.
Residents praised Luke Muirhead from Louth Park after he walked two kilometres through swirling water to shepherd a sheep and a horse – two good friends – to safety.
“The horse, Blue, and sheep – just called Sheep – have been close friends since they first met six months ago,” Mr Muirhead said.
“They were pretty scared alone in the water, so I walked the two of them to safety through the water.
“We stopped twice to rest because walking in all that water was heavy work. Then we got across the Yarrabong Bridge and dry ground.
“I had to bring them out.
“They are so fond of each other and I just couldn’t leave them.”
Gloria and Mervyn Heskith had six horse and 15 cattle rescued – then they spent the night in their car for a quick getaway if the floodwater came up further.
Frank Bullock in Regent Street, Maitland, had 21 head of cattle that SES volunteers swam to safety as the waters advanced during the night.
“I was so worried I never slept for two nights, but the SES did a great job,” Mr Bullock said.