Nikki Taylor-Worley pours a beer at the iconic Lion’s Den Hotel, which was able to reopen its doors within months thanks to overwhelming community camaraderie and a Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
The flood event caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper in December 2023 cannot be described as anything but a tragedy, but it also showed the true camaraderie of Cape York and the resilience of its people as they got on with recovery.
Cleaning up and trying to return to normal came with an astronomical price tag, but financial help like the Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant, administered by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA), eventually came, and is still available to primary producers, small businesses and non-profits until 30 June.
The grant kept the doors of the Lion’s Den Hotel open after floodwater and mud overtook the iconic pub.
“The pub filled up like a bucket with holes,” publican Judy Fry recalled.
“It was very, very helpful to receive the assistance; without it, I would have had to close the doors and walk away from the Lion’s Den Hotel.”
Ms Fry said the grant covered significant re-establishment costs and allowed her to keep essential staff on, all of whom worked tirelessly to ensure they could welcome back the watering hole’s loyal patrons.
“The grant went towards keeping a cook on and keeping cleaners on; it went to a lot of wages,” she said.
“Every ceiling in the back part of the building was gone and we had to redo all the ceilings in the pub; in the kitchen, everything had to go out.
“My family and I did it together with a lot of help from local people; they wanted their local pub up and running again, so we got in and cleaned up.”
After many long and muddy days, the Lion’s Den Hotel welcomed customers back through its doors for an Australia Day celebration in 2024, and fully reopened for business five months later.
QRIDA’s Far North and Gulf regional area manager Sam Spina said the grant gave people the lifeline they needed to keep going, and encouraged anyone who needed it to apply before the June deadline.
“I think it would be fair to say applications have slowed down a bit now, but as we move closer to the cutoff date, I’m sure there will be people that want to get the last minute things they haven’t claimed yet,” he said.
“It changed people’s lives.”
It’s impossible to miss where floodwater reached inside the Lion’s Den Hotel in December 2023. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
