This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Operation Mactier
Following severe weather events across Victoria in October 2022, a number of communities in both regional and metropolitan areas of the state of Victoria suffered extensive flood damage.
Once flood waters started to recede, the full extent of damage was assessed and the recovery work was planned. Phase 1 of Operation Mactier ran from October to December 2022, before volunteer teams returned on 18 January 2023 for an additional six weeks.
Work included cleaning mud out of homes, mucking out and clearing debris, rubbish removal and general clean up.
In response to
Floods
Location
Victoria
View map
Status
Complete
Dates
Phase 1: Oct – Dec 2022 Phase 2: 18 Jan – 2 Mar 2023
QLD Flood Recovery Operation
Areas of Operation
Once flood waters started to recede the areas of operation included the communities of Maribyrnong, Rochester, Shepparton and Echuca.
Flood Recovery Taskings
As part of Operation Mactier Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) was proud to be invited by Emergency Management Victoria to manage the spontaneous volunteers who helped the community. Work included cleaning mud out of homes, mucking out and clearing debris, rubbish removal and general clean up.
DRA thanks those spontaneous volunteers in the Victorian community who assisted with the clean-up as well as our corporate volunteers and partners.
The story behind the name
Operation Mactier is named in honour of Private Robert ‘Bob’ Mactier. Mactier enlisted in March 1917, deploying to the Western Front in late 1917, in time for the battle of Hamel and the August offensive of 1918. In his last letter home, he wrote: ‘if our side only keep going, I think the war [will] be over by next spring’.
Mactier won the only Victoria Cross awarded to his battalion but made the ultimate sacrifice. Moving into position for the assault on Mont St Quentin, 23 Battalion was stopped by enemy machine-gun fire. As a company runner, Mactier was sent to investigate. Armed with a revolver and bombs, he attacked, throwing a bomb, climbing through the wire, and tossing the machine-gun out of the trench. When his comrades came forward, they found the crew dead and saw Mactier attacking the next post. He then charged a third post, killing the occupants. Finding yet another obstacle, he ran into the open for his fourth attack where he was killed by fire from his flank. The recommendation for the award reads: ‘On the morning of 1st September, 1918, during the operation entailing capture of MT. ST. QUENTIN, this man stands out for the greatest bravery and devotion to duty.
It was due to this man’s exceptional bravery and determination that the Battalion was able to move on to its Jumping Off Trench and carry out the successful operation of capturing the village of MT. ST. QUENTIN a few hours later.
Mactier’s Victoria Cross is accompanied by two service medals for the First World War.
Operation impact
25,214
Volunteer hours
669
Volunteers deployed
$1.44 million
Community costs saved
422
Work orders completed
Flood Recovery Operation in Victoria 2022 – 2023
DRA’s flood recovery operation in Victoria
Get involved
Planning for upcoming operational deployments is now underway. If you are keen to participate or find out more, express your interest today.