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Eugowra has marked the launch of a powerful new book sharing the lived experiences of the catastrophic flood of 14 November 2022.
Eugowra: Bruised but not Broken, compiled by Linda Clark through interviews and contributed images, brings together the raw, personal stories of more than 40 residents who lived through the disaster.
Many of those contributors gathered at the Fat Parcel to celebrate the launch of the limited-edition publication.
Linda Clark first arrived in Eugowra after the flood with a mop and bucket, hoping to help clean up.
In the face of the devastation the gesture seemed too small and - after some thought and prayer - felt led to write the town's story.
With pen in hand, she set out to capture not only the damage and loss, but the courage, heartbreak and resilience of a community determined to endure.
“This isn’t just a book,” Linda said.
“It’s a living, breathing testament to a town that refused to be broken.
“Each story, each photo, speaks volumes about the town's tenacity and determination to survive.”
The book opens with family tributes to Diane Smith and Les Vugec, who lost their lives in the flood. Honouring their memory is always Linda’s first response when asked why she felt compelled to create the book.
“My answer is always to remember: to remember Diane Smith, Les Vugec, and the many seniors who have passed away – prematurely we think – because of the stress and strain of this event,” she said at the launch.
“To remember those who’ve moved away from Eugowra, those who used to live next door.
“To remember the courageous Australian spirit that blazed on that day, brightly in the actions of men and women, ordinary people who did not know that they had it in them to reach out and to reach into themselves for the courage they needed to save each other when there was nobody else to do it.
“To remember the looks in each other’s faces – those glances over the first few months after the flood – those looks that carried an understanding of yes, we went through that horror together.”
Linda thanked everyone who shared their story, acknowledging the courage it took to revisit such a traumatic experience.
The book has been a long journey to publication and was made possible through the sponsorship of Newmont Mining.
Ensuring that every contributor received a free copy was a priority for the project, with additional support from local community organisations and individuals helping to make that possible.
The book is a limit edition, just 500 copies were printed, most of which were sold by the time the Advocate was preparing for print.
Priced at $35, all profits will be returned to the Eugowra community, with the production team encouraging Eugowra on their Facebook page, to vote on the best way to spend the funds from the book sales.
