Flood rescuers use makeshift bamboo raft to save couple and six dogs
Surrounded by pitch-black, swampy floodwaters and using a makeshift bamboo raft, a rescue crew pulled off an extraordinary feat.
Late on Friday evening the team of five Fire and Rescue in-water technicians responded to a call from an isolated farm near Kempsey on the New South Wales mid-north coast.
The crew paddled their rescue boat 2 kilometres to reach 62-year-old Troy Irwin and his 52-year-old partner Mirasol Page, whose property had been cut off for three days.
Their rubber dinghy had space for the couple, but not their six working dogs.
Rescuers discovered Mr Irwin in floodwaters in his underwear. He was suffering from mild hypothermia but refused to leave his dogs.
Senior firefighter Gav Smith said when they arrived at the home the floodwater was 2 to 3 metres deep and there "was not a bit of dry land anywhere".
"We said, 'Look, we're going to get you guys out of here. We're going to get all your dogs out of here,'" he said.
"No-one stays behind."
Rescuers worked together using a makeshift bamboo raft to ensure no-one was left behind. (Supplied: FRNSW)
Firefighter Scott O'Shea said there wasn't enough room to get them all back to safety — so they decided to improvise.
"We looked around and were like, 'What are we going to do to get out of this?'" Mr O'Shea said.
"We saw some bamboo screening or some sort of fence, that he [Troy Irwin] utilised as a raft so we tied that to our rescue craft."
Rescuers initially planned to transport the dogs on the makeshift raft but it wasn't stable enough, so they again had to think on their feet.
"We put the dogs in our boat, and Troy and his wife and two other firefighters and their bags," Mr Smith said.
With seven lives in their hands and daylight gradually disappearing, Mr O'Shea jumped on the raft himself.
Scott O'Shea used the makeshift raft to paddle back to safety alongside those they had rescued. (Supplied: FRNSW)
"Scott used the raft as a stand-up paddle board, he used it like a gondola in Venice, he was pushing along and he made the 2km trip home,"Mr Smith said.
"It was long enough and stable enough that I could manoeuvre it and we were confident then we were going to make it," Mr O'Shea said.
Troy Irwin had been isolated by floodwaters on his farm for three days before the dramatic rescue. (Supplied: FRNSW)
After watching the floodwaters rise for three days, Mr Irwin's main concern was keeping his partner, who is not a strong swimmer, safe.
"I was really concerned, I didn't want Mirasol exposed if anything went wrong, I just wanted her up and safe out of the flood," he said.
Mirasol Page, Mr Irwin and their six working dogs made it out of the floodwaters safely. (ABC News: Emma Siossian)
But Mr Irwin also remembers the relief he felt seeing the rescue team after days of isolation.
"It was great to see them paddle around the bend and sing out to us," he said.
"It just looked like a tiny canoe with five great big blokes in it."
Ms Page said she was told the experience was "an adventure" but she is glad it's over.
"It was lucky we did not tip over and that we're alive," she said.
'Hansel and Gretel' crumbs followed
As the sun set the rescue team followed marks they'd left on their route on the way in to help guide them back to safety.
"We left what could be better described as Hansel and Gretel cookies," Mr O'Shea said.
"We tied tape to trees because we knew it was getting late and we needed to know how to get out of there and navigate at night."
Scott O'Shea and Gav Smith worked alongside their crew members to pull off the rescue. (ABC News: Emma Siossian)
The markings along with a spotlight from a Fire and Rescue drone flying above helped keep them on track back to the safety point.
Strike team Charlie's leader, Inspector Gaven Mullet, described the rescue as outstanding, saying the rescuers showed the utmost resilience and resourcefulness.
"We got everyone back, it was a huge mission," Mr Smith said.