To the policeman who knocked on my door to warn me to be ready to be evacuated from the flooded Mittagong Creek.

To the police (some of whom were already exhausted) who cheerfully waded waist high through dirty water with a boat to carry my neighbours and myself safely and dryly to a waiting bus.

To the bus driver waiting in the wet who had then to drive from Bowral to Mittagong RSL via Sutton Forest in the dark.

To the team who shepherded us through registration at Mittagong RSL. This included The RSL, The Red Cross team "Register, Find, Reunite", a health care nurs, a Department of Communities and Justice official who found us somewhere to stay.

Whoever provided us with warm drinks and something to eat.

To the policeman who acted as a taxi to take my neighbour and I to Mittagong Hotel.

To the hotel manager who kindly allowed us to stay even though we came with our cats.

Even to the Government for providing us with two free nights accommodation.

And last, but not least, to the SES volunteer who sandbagged my doors, and all the other SES volunteers who worked in the wet to keep us all safe.

PHEW, so many people to thank. Stay safe all of you, and MANY MANY WARM THANKS.

The flood disaster in Queensland and NSW is a reminder that the lessons of the Black Summer bushfires still haven't been learnt.

It was entirely predictable that Australia has a high and growing need for civil defence, to protect citizens from such disasters.

All the evidence points to Australia being exposed to more extreme meteorological hazards due to climate change as well as the short-term climate variability we have experienced before.

With Australian lives and even the survival of whole communities at stake, the over-optimism and lack of preparedness amongst the nation's political leadership is unacceptable.

If you're celebrating 'a touch of the Irish' in your blood on St Patrick's Day, spare a thought for whether this means you are pumping too much iron.

People of Celtic origin are more likely to have the iron overload condition haemochromatosis which is the most common genetic disorder in Australia.

About one in 200 people are genetically predisposed to it and one in seven are carriers.

The good news is that early detection means haemochromatosis is no barrier to a normal life and the condition is easily managed through blood donations.

But when undetected and untreated, it can cause organ/tissue damage and perhaps premature death.

So as you raise a glass to your heritage this year, vow to find out more about the 'Celtic curse' from your GP or by visiting www.ha.org.au