Cr Moller awarded Bravery Medal for creek rescue

Published: 26 August 2020. (Note: information was correct at date of publication but may have since been changed or superseded.)

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning has acknowledged the bestowing of a Bravery Medal to Division 1 Councillor Brett Moller, for his role in rescuing a young female Victorian tourist from the flooded Behana Creek in Aloomba in December 2018.

Cr Moller was one of one of 29 people who were today announced as recipients of Australian Bravery Awards by the Governor-General.

The quick actions of Cr Moller, and those of his family, almost certainly saved the young woman’s life.

At about 7.45pm on 29 December 2018, Cr Moller was at home with his wife and daughters when they heard a noise outside.

Cr Moller and his wife Beth went outside to find a woman on the branch of a tree in the middle of the swollen creek.

She had driven into the flooded Behana Creek causeway and the car had floated down the creek before becoming jammed up against a tree and was sinking.

After instructing his family to get torches and ropes, Cr Moller entered the muddy, fast flowing water.

Despite the strong current, he managed to make his way to where the woman was clinging onto the branch, to which he also grabbed.

After reassuring the woman, he was able to help her swim diagonally with the current towards the water’s edge until they were able to grab hold of some partially submerged tree branches and eventually make their way to the bank.

Cr Moller's daughters were then able to pull the woman to safety.