Residents of Degarra in Queensland's far north have "lost faith" as they clean up the destruction left by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
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It's been almost a month since the small community was ravaged by floodwaters, with some residents having to hold onto trees for hours to avoid being swept away.
"Paradise found is now paradise lost," Degarra resident Billy Dunn said.
"We need a lot of help. The road access is buggered and everything is a total mess.
"The destruction is next level."
An 85-year-old Degarra man is still missing, believed to be swept away in flood waters.
The community of 45 people is in Douglas Shire, north of Cairns. The local mayor Michael Kerr said residents are desperate for help.
"They've lost faith, they've lost the positivity that they can rebuild," he told AAP.
"They've just been so disheartened. They haven't had the help that they really need to be able to recover any salvageable personal possessions that they've got."
Mr Kerr said he's also dismayed by the situation in Degarra, with more rain forecast this week.
"I thought when it gets to the point that the prime minister is flying across, the premier has been to visit, things should be moving and it's just not," he said.
Mr Kerr said a week after Australian Defence Force assistance was promised, troops have not yet arrived and emergency accommodation provided to the community has been placed a three hour walk away from Degarra.
"They can't do it themselves, there's too much," he said.
"They're older people, they can't even lift the broken, sodden mattresses that are out the back.
"They can't move the broken furnishings that are all over the place."
Premier Steven Miles said it wasn't possible to put emergency accommodation caravans in Degarra until power, water and sewerage were reconnected.
"We've got to be careful not to bring in too much heavy equipment through, because it could do further damage (to the roads)," he said.
"We are doing everything we can to get all of the services back into those places as quickly as we possibly can but it needs to be done in an orderly way.
"There is no use putting homes in until we have electricity and water and sewerage."
Mr Miles and Tourism Minister Michael Healy were on the Gold Coast on Monday morning announcing $2.5 million in support for tourism businesses impacted by storms.
Seven people died in storm-related incidents over the Christmas period in the state's southeast and left thousands without power.
The Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan regions were hardest hit.
Mr Healy said 50,000 vouchers, worth $50 each, for people to use at tourism experiences on the Gold Coast would help businesses recover.
"The Gold Coast is the jewel in the crown of our tourism industry and it is a major gateway," he said.
"We need to ensure that the businesses down here are getting strong support."
Australian Associated Press
