Lennox Head needs help 
JOHN and Heike Murray, along with their two children, are homeless.
But the Lennox Head family is not alone – there are 31 people who are without a home after last Thursday’s tornado which ripped through Lennox Head.
Six families have been put out of their homes by the storm.
And now the Ballina Shire community can do its bit to help those victims of the violent winds by donating to an appeal set up by the Lennox Head Chamber of Commerce.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the appeal had raised $12,000 for the victims of the tornado.
President of the chamber, Louise Owen, said ‘reality was sinking in’ for the Lennox community, and praised the community for coming together to support each other.
Mr Murray, standing outside his home of 15 years as workers in protective suits cleaned up asbestos, said it was a time to take stock and look to the future.
On a short-term basis, that means finding rental accommodation, and salvaging what belongings they can from their insured home, which had its roof ripped apart during the tornado.
He said the family wanted to stay in Lennox so schooling for 10-year-old Yani and eight-year-old Hannah wasn’t disrupted.
But the shock of the events last week, he said, meant they will be trying to live away from the area affected worst by the storm.
For the longer term, it’s a matter of waiting for the building assessors to check the home, and then look at rebuilding.
Mr Murray was away working at the time of the storm, but said his wife, Heike, had to throw herself over their two children to protect them when the storm – which sounded like a jet – tore its way through the northern part of Lennox Head.
The couple hasn’t been able to get back into their house to get clothes and other belongings since the storm – Heike, Yani and Hannah left with what they were wearing.
Mr Murray said he has been overwhelmed by the support of neighbours since, and also the Steiner community in Byron Bay.
They have had offers of accommodation as well as donations of food and clothing.
The family is currently staying in Ballina at the Ramada Hotel and Suites.
Ms Owen said Lennox Head as a community was now looking to the future – and the village is open for business and keen to get visitors back into town.
There will be some high-profile visitors coming this week.
The NSW State of Origin rugby league team will be visiting the Lennox Point Hotel for an autograph session from 5.30pm today, June 10.
And Fatty Vautin and The Footy Show team will be pre-recording the popular Channel Nine show at the pub from 6.30pm tonight as well, and it will air at 9.30pm tonight.
The event will kick off from 5pm.
The Lennox Head Lions Club members will be passing a donation bucket around to go to the Lennox Head Tornado Appeal.
Byron Street and Pacific Parade will be closed as punters gather at the park across the road from the pub for the event.
There will be specific areas for victims of the tornado and the volunteers who helped them, and those attending are asked to respect those areas.
The All Girls Surf Showdown on June 12 will take locals back to the beach at Lennox to catch some up-and-coming surfing talent.
And on Monday, June 14, there will be a community barbecue from 2.30pm across from the Lennox Point Hotel.
There will be a fundraising auction with local businesses donating vouchers, The Footy Show team will be bringing autographed footy jumpers, there is a soccer ball signed by the Matildas and a pumpkin is the novelty auction item.
Lions club members will be turning the snags.
To donate to the Lennox Head Tornado Appeal, deposit into Southern Cross Credit Union account: BSB 802185, Account Number 137897.
They have recorded that 150km/hr winds damaged the caravan park but winds may have exceeded 250km/hr inside the tornado.
