At the end of a dusty road by the Daly River lies the remote Indigenous community of Nauiyu, which is still reeling from the aftermath of severe flooding.
The road leading into the community is riddled with large potholes that have damaged speed bumps, and piles of silt can be seen lining the edges of the town.
It has been three months since the residents of Nauiyu, also referred to as Daly River, returned home after being forced to evacuate due to unprecedented floods in February and March.
James Parry, a lifelong resident of Nauiyu, points out the exact height the floodwaters reached outside his house. “It covered 15 stairs—the entire lower half of the house,” he recalls.
He recounted the chaos within his home: “The tables were overturned, couches were flipped, and my bed and freezer were displaced.” Fortunately, he considers himself one of the fortunate ones, as he and his family managed to move some belongings upstairs before the flood struck.
“Everyone else lost everything—cars, homes, you name it,” he lamented.
Parry described the floods of 2026 as the worst he has ever experienced, expressing frustration over the lack of essential services in the community that have yet to be restored. “The aged care center is contaminated with asbestos, and we only have a handful of elderly residents left,” he noted. He also mentioned that kids have been missing school since their return, prompting teachers to go door-to-door to encourage attendance.
He criticized the quality of ongoing repair work, highlighting gaps beneath doors that allow dust to enter and the replacement of glass windows with plastic. “Some of the council homes had wooden fixtures that were all ripped out,” he added.
Another significant issue is the ongoing boil water alert affecting the community. Since their return, residents have relied on pallets of bottled water delivered regularly to the general store in Nauiyu. “No one has communicated anything to us,” Parry remarked.
Fellow resident Kieren Karritpul expressed that the town has been irrevocably altered. “This place isn’t really 100 percent,” he stated. “It doesn’t feel like home anymore.” As of late August, several homes in the area remained without electricity, complicating living situations and hindering the return of essential workers.
Karritpul shared that his brother and niece have been staying with him because their home lacks power. Meanwhile, the Merrepen Arts Centre, where he works, remains closed, surrounded by piles of dirt and damaged art supplies. The center, which supports over 40 artists, has been without power since the flooding, depriving locals of a vital source of income and community engagement.
“People frequently ask me at the shop or clinic when it will reopen or when they can get their canvases,” he noted. “We have to direct tourists to make a three-hour drive to Darwin if they want to make purchases.” Despite being vacant and powerless, the Merrepen Arts Centre is still receiving bills for “fixed daily charges” related to power and water for the first half of 2026.
The ongoing plight of Nauiyu has raised concerns regarding the adequacy of flood response efforts. Following the last wet season, the Northern Territory government announced a $100 million fund aimed at flood recovery, but only $12.5 million has been allocated so far, with a mere $500,000 designated for Nauiyu to create a plan for relocating the town to safer ground.
Dheran Young, a Labor MLA representing the Daly electorate, expressed disappointment over the community’s overlooked needs. “The CLP government must apply for the Commonwealth Disaster Relief Fund to ensure that services can be restored,” he stated. “As far as I know, they have not yet applied for assistance following this disaster.” In August, the Commonwealth provided a million-dollar investment in Nauiyu through the National Indigenous Australians Agency. “The level of destruction faced by the community has been substantial,” stated Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy. “These funds will assist community-led recovery initiatives, helping to restore vital facilities and strengthen local services.”
This funding is primarily directed at local Indigenous organizations with the aim of reinstating essential services, infrastructure, and accommodations for key workers. However, the Northern Territory government did not respond to inquiries regarding Nauiyu or its recovery efforts.
Mr. Parry indicated that engineers and other officials have visited the community to discuss plans for relocation, as outlined by the NT government’s investment. However, he expressed frustration over the lack of progress ahead of the upcoming wet season. “You can see the mangoes and other trees flowering; those signs indicate that rain is approaching,” he observed.
Amidst uncertainty about the future, Parry is seeking a firm commitment from the government to ensure funding is allocated to essential services and that a plan is prepared in case of future flooding. “They have homes to return to,” he said. “We lost everything and are starting over from scratch.”
