A veteran motorcycle club at Kingston, used to taking care of themselves, has received offers for help, following recent floods.
The Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Motorcycle Club near Scrubby Creek was inundated by floodwaters.
While members made efforts to move caravans, electronics and mattresses out of the way, the water kept rising and flooded a large area of the club grounds.
The floodwaters destroyed assets including caravans, mattresses, computers, a bunkhouse, accomodation for the club president, welfare office, paperwork and refrigeration unit for the cool room.
While the club moved to the Kingston site in 2002 and had survived numerous floods, this year’s floods was described as the worst by members.
Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Motorcycle Club member and former serviceman Matt Woo says while veterans are used to getting it on with it, the club has received offers of help.
“We have had offers from other social motorcycle clubs to help.
“I’ve had mates of mine in those clubs that own various businesses donating resources like skip bins, cranes and tilt trucks.”
Mr Woo says the support shown from the motorcycle community has been great.
“It’s been really good.
“Within the motorcycle community itself, the support has been really good, it shows that despite state politics in regards to motorcycle clubs, we’re a united bunch.
“It shows the loyalty and brotherhood within the relationships of each of the clubs, which is good to see.”
Mr Woo, who served in East Timor and Afghanistan, says while veterans don’t expect help, it is nice to be offered support.
“Rather than ask for help, we just get on with the job and do it ourselves.
“Just the fact that somebody has actually offered to help is great, we just got used to the fact that we don’t expect it.
“A lot of the Vietnam boys, when they came home, they basically got told we don’t want to know you, so they developed the attitude that the only people going to help them are themselves.
“It is the same, with a lot of veterans, we just expect people not to come to our aid when we need it.
“At the end of the day, everybody gets knocked down, but we will get up that one extra time, we will always win.”
The Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Motorcycle Club was established to provide social and welfare support for bikers who are Vietnam Veterans, as well as.
The club is also recognized as an ex-service organisation and welfare group by the Department of Veterans Affairs and other various government and veteran groups.
If you would like to help with the clean-up, the club is located at 132 Meakin Rd, Kingston.
