This song was developed for a community recovery sing-a-long by song creators: Sandra Kirkwood, Steven Davidson, Jean Fowler, Judy Lee, Jo Peterovic, Steven Newton ahd Janet Findlay.

1. Big Flood Song You can sing your own flood story to the tune of “Click! Goes the Shears” Music Health Australia

2. January 2011, Queensland floods A community recovery sing-a-long was developed by Music Health Australia, to provide an opportunity for people to tell their own flood story. Thank you to those who created verses. Everyone who participated has been affected in a different way. The verses speak of the common experience of helping one another and looking after the ones we love. The floods brought devastation to many homes and work places, but people managed to pull together and we are in the process of re-building our lives and communities.

3. Big Flood song 1.I was on the Gold Coast, staying in a tent,When down from the sky, the rain came and went.We zipped the flaps and hid inside, the thunder gave a rumble,But thankfully our little tent, did not crumble!

4. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

5. 2. By mornin' light we looked around and everything was muddled,The Scrabble game, my clothes and books were lying in a puddle.For several hours I blew them dry with my trusty hairdryer,But my mobile phone got lost...somewhere in the mulga!

6. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

7. 3. I was at Glendon camping at the back of Warwick, We thought we were safe from all the rain and frolic,The skies did open, and down came the rain,Xmas day was wetter than any other day!

8. 4.The caravan began to leak, where no other water had seeped,So we packed up our van and scooted home to weep (repeat).

9. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

10. 5.The kids and I were high and dry just watching rain pelt down. We wondered just how long it’d be before the paddocks drowned. And sure enough from where we watched we saw the waters rise. The Bremer & Western creeks were flooding very high.

11. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

12. 6.Raging storms o-n January 10A dinkum Aussie record-breaker hammering o'headCreated such chaos in Toowoomba TownChurning through the city streets; it caused some folk to drown!

13. 7.Eight weeks of rai-n after droughtRaced over soggy ground; up and outThe people looked around and were beaten by a blow,Of the inland tidal-wave which made our city flow!

14. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

15. 8.I was down at Burleigh when the floods hitOur place was all safe, and family was to,BUT how was cousin Neil at Murphy's Creek,Was he washed away?Hoorah no he and his were safe and well.

16. 9. Clap the hands and be thankfulBut others were not so luckySo we say our prayers for themAs they all clean up and cope.

17. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

18. 10The neighbours sure knew, they were here in '74"You'll need a boat!" and the kids were all in aweEverything we owned, had to go even higherThe neighbours all pitched in, the situation dire

19. 11Then came the siren, the waters on the rise!All hands on deck, can't be taken by surpriseSide by side we all watched, the street stood as oneHalf under water, but all Australian

20. 12 A flood in many eyes, as our hearts and houses broke,Time standing still 'till Harry cracked a joke.And we laughed our spirits back, Mother Nature'd been outdone,Three-quarters under water, but all Australian.

21. 13Well nature did her best, but Aussies did it betterAnd we just grew closer as around us all grew wetterIn 2011 when our Ippy stood as oneWe were mostly underwater, but all Australian.

22. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

23. 14.Woke up in the morning and right before my eyes, The waters of the Bremer had sure begun to rise. They slowly but steadily engulfed the garden shed, And all of this before I had a chance to leave my bed!

24. 15. Down at the corner, I almost did a flip, The neighbour's old house looked like a sailing ship. Marooned in a lake of gently spreading calm, You could almost be deceived to think that Nature meant no harm.

25. 16. So up came the fridge and the washing machine, Heaved 'em up the stairs then had to split the scene. From high up on a balcony I waved my flat goodbye, As above the murky waters danced a golden butterfly!

26. CHORUSCrack! goes the thunder, down comes the rain,Scramble for the things we need, to keep us all sane.Our places took a beating, and some ne'er be seen again,But we'll all pull together and surely re-build again!

27. Acknowledgements Sandra Kirkwood: Verses 1-2 and chorus Steven Davidson: Verses 3-4 Jean Fowler: Verse 5 Jo Petrovic: Verses 6-7 Judy Lee: Verses 8-9 Steven Newton: Verses 10-13 Janet Findlay: Verses 14-16 Music Health Australia