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.
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.
«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».
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.»
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.