Mataura Island farmer remembers the noise of 'rapids' outside his lounge room
Wednesday, 3 February 2021
Matt Bradfield’s lasting memory of the February 2020 floods is listening to the “rapids” of floodwater rushing past his lounge room.
A year ago, Bradfield and his family were helicoptered off their Mataura Island dairy farm, as the floodwater lapped up above the second step of their home, about 10.30am on February 5.
Their cows were safe and dry, but snug, up on concrete next to the shed.
Bradfield and his friend returned by helicopter to milk them.
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They took a boat back out, and he was able to walk in on February 7.
“It’s a nice peaceful place out here, normally,” Bradfield said.
In the first few days of February 2020, rivers across Southland swelled and burst.
More than 2400 Gore residents were evacuated as well as people from Wyndham and Mataura.
A state of emergency was declared and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited.
Bradfield was glad it was over, but the experience made him a bit nervous about the next flood.
Secondary to the noise of the water and the speed of which it rose, another lasting memory is the support and generosity that came in the aftermath.
Friends dropped off baleage and the Farmy Army support was great, he said.
The Bradfield’s driveway is just metres from the Mataura River.
The flood dumped a thousand tonnes of gravel in their “river paddock”.
About 90 per cent of the 91 hectare property was underwater.
The flood killed 12ha of grass and left them tight for feed in Autumn.
His neighbour’s property was underwater as well.
“You feel for the ones down river. They get all the bigger ones,” Bradfield said.
Should the property flood again, he used the washed-up gravel to make more high and dry standing room for his cows.
That extra stop bank also extends to further protect his house.
His three children, who were eight, 10 and 13 at the time, stayed calm as the water rose in February, until it started to reach the house steps.
“By the time the helicopter came, the kids were keen to go.”
The family had been share milking at Pine Bush before they bought the farm just three seasons ago.
Bradfield isn’t concerned about floods becoming more frequent.
Having the Environment Southland data so accessible during the flooding kept him assured, with the knowledge of what was to come, flowing down the Mataura.