Looking Back with Alumnus Nicholas Marquis

Meet Alumnus and current staff member, Nicholas Marquis - an active Australian Army Reservist who has recently assisted in the Northern NSW Floods.

I have been lucky enough to be a part of the Notre Dame community for the past nine years. Firstly as a student, an Alumnus in 2017 and then commencing as a staff member in August 2018. During my time at Notre Dame, I have been an active member of the Australian Army Reserves and have been fortunate to have the support given to me to attend training, exercises and domestic operations.

I was deployed on operation during the 2019/2020 bushfires, the 2021 floods in the Hawkesbury and most recently deployed to Lismore for several weeks on Operation Flood Assist 2022.

Arriving in Lismore after dark was a surreal experience. From seeing the images on the news and social media, to being there in person really put the extent of the damage in perspective. Seeing the centre of Lismore absolutely lifeless meant taking a step back, a breath and understanding the kind of help and assistance the Australian Defence Force (ADF) was continuing to give. We were positioned in Lismore, Coraki, Woodburn and all the way up to Ballina to provide as much aid we could to the local communities.

The support we were able to give included food drops, welfare checks, search and rescue and road access reconnaissance by air and land which enabled the communities that were cut off some reprieve while the waters continued to subside.

I think that what hits you the hardest is seeing the height of the waterlines in houses, and even more astounding when there isn’t a water line as the whole house was swallowed. Seeing airplanes twisted around trees, cars turned on their roofs and endless piles of personal belongings strewn through streets goes to show the sheer force of the water and the heartache that has hit the north of the state.

Being a part of the Reserves has enabled me to work my day job and break free from routine to go out and have great experiences, make lifelong mates and help our local communities in times of need. The benefits of working in a flexible and understanding environment that Notre Dame has provided me has allowed me to reach so much potential in the Reserves.

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