IN THE weeks following Grantham's floods, Marty Warburton comforted himself with the knowledge that things could not get any worse.
Traumatised by what he had witnessed while clinging to the roof of his service station on January 10, 2011, he turned his mind from the grief that threatened to engulf him to the future.
"People lost their lives," he said. "People lost their homes and every single possession they owned. My service station was completely gutted and this town was decimated.
"I thought the only thing to do was to have some hope, to focus on rebuilding this community and realising the incredible potential that it has.
"Never for a minute did I think that, 12 months later, I'd be worse off than I was back then."
The Grantham community will hold its anniversary ceremonies on Tuesday and, while the day might bring closure for some, for others, such as Mr Warburton, it will be a bitter reminder of how tough the past year has been - and how far from moving on they are.
"I'm about to go broke," he said. "Unless I get a miracle or win the lotto, I'll be closing the doors on this shop for good.
"I reopened six months ago because I thought it was the right thing to do for me and the entire community. I've ruined my family."
In order to reopen his service station, in the heart of Grantham, Mr Warburton used every asset he could: shares, cash in his savings accounts and money stashed away for his retirement.
Determined to inject some normality and positivity into the weary town, he poured everything he owned into getting the service station up and running again and, for a while, the warm glow of hope and renewal made it all worthwhile.
But the reality of life in a town torn apart by natural disaster has killed his business. Only 35 of the original 160 families who lived in Grantham have returned so far. There are simply not enough customers to make his servo viable.
Unless he can come up with some cash by the end of the month, Mr Warburton will be forced to close the business, losing his livelihood, superannuation and every other penny of savings he ever had.
"After 20 years in this town, I'll be unemployed with no income, a leech on the government," he said.
"It's absolutely heartbreaking. Right now, I just feel like crawling into a hole and never coming out.
"I've failed my family. I've failed the community. How is it helping this town, 12 months after a natural disaster, for a local family-owned business to close down?"
As a business, Mr Warburton's service station was not eligible for any government assistance. He is still waiting for a verdict on his claims from his insurer.
The Lockyer Valley Regional Council has offered him one of the land swaps up on the hill where other residents are building new homes but, said Mr Warburton, "it's like me offering to give you 10? for your car".
"The land is probably worth about $80,000. Would you call that a fair swap for a $2 million business?"
Mr Warburton said the council was not interested in helping him because it already had plans to build a new service station up on the hill in the new housing estate.
"So this is it. It's hard to believe that, six months ago, when I reopened this place, I was feeling so happy, so positive for the future. Now, 12 months after the actual floods, I feel like I'm back at square one again.
"Actually, worse than square one. I've got less than I did 12 months ago and it just kills me, it really does."
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What happened to Marty Warburton and his Grantham service station during the 2011 Grantham floods?
During the January 10, 2011 Grantham floods Marty Warburton was traumatised after clinging to the roof of his service station. The business was completely gutted and the town was decimated, with lives, homes and possessions lost.
Why is Marty saying he might have to close his service station?
Marty reopened the service station six months after the floods using every asset he had, but with only 35 of the original 160 families back in Grantham there aren’t enough customers. He says he needs cash by the end of the month or he’ll be forced to close, losing his livelihood, superannuation and all his savings.
Was Marty eligible for government assistance after the floods?
According to the article, Marty’s service station as a business was not eligible for any government assistance.
What is the status of Marty’s insurance claims and how does that affect his situation?
Marty is still waiting on a verdict from his insurer about his claims. Because that insurance outcome is unresolved, it has left him financially exposed after using his own assets to reopen the business.
How did Marty fund the reopening of his flooded service station?
To get the service station running again he used every asset he could: shares, cash from savings accounts and money he had set aside for retirement (superannuation).
How has the pace of community recovery in Grantham affected small businesses like Marty’s service station?
The slow return of residents — only 35 of the original 160 families have come back so far — means there simply aren’t enough customers to make Marty’s service station viable, which has directly undermined the business’s ability to recover.
What offer did the Lockyer Valley Regional Council make to Marty and why did he say it wasn’t fair?
The council offered Marty a land swap up on the hill where new homes are being built, but Marty said the land is worth about $80,000 and is not a fair swap for what he says was a $2 million business. He also noted the council plans to build a new service station in the new housing estate, which reduces the value of the offer to him.
What personal and financial consequences does Marty face if he has to close the service station?
If he closes, Marty says he will lose his livelihood, his superannuation and every penny of savings. After 20 years in the town he would be unemployed with no income, emotionally devastated and concerned about the impact on his family and the community.
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