Wingham - New South Wales

September 2025

In September 2025, Rural Aid volunteers travelled to Wingham on the New South Wales Mid North Coast to support farming families recovering from the devastating floods that swept through the Manning Valley earlier that year. In May 2025, intense and prolonged rainfall caused the Manning River to rise to record-breaking levels, surpassing the region’s historic 1929 flood peak and inundating homes, farmland and critical infrastructure across towns including Wingham and nearby Taree. The floods were described as a one-in-500-year event, leaving widespread damage to fencing, paddocks, roads and farm infrastructure, while isolating thousands of residents across the Mid North Coast.

During the Farm Recovery Event, 31 volunteers worked alongside eight local farming families to help ease some of the pressure created by the long recovery journey. Volunteers assisted with fencing repairs, clearing debris and completing practical farm jobs that helped restore damaged properties and support ongoing recovery efforts. Beyond the physical work completed, the event brought encouragement, connection and a reminder that rural communities are strongest when people come together to support one another through difficult seasons and rebuilding efforts.