Luxury yacht snared amid debris

Daryl Bandholz on the Mary River yesterday as Coast Guard volunteers recovered the luxury yacht owned by a grateful Veronica Strachan and Greg Stewart.

Nat Bromhead

A LUXURY yacht ripped from its moorings and washed down the Mary River during the flood crisis has been found.

On Friday distraught owners Greg Stewart and Veronica Strachan told the Chronicle they were desperately hoping to locate their $140,000 yacht “intact and afloat”.

Over the weekend the elated couple received a call saying the yacht had been found among thick mangroves half-way down the river.

During the height of the torrent the yacht had dragged a five-tonne mooring block a kilometre down the raging river before eventually breaking free.

Maryborough teenagers Ben Hannam and Tim Wyeth almost drowned while attempting to save the vessel.

Their tinny was dragged under the yacht as they tried to secure a secondary anchor.

Yesterday Greg Stewart worked with Coastguard volunteers to remove the boat from mangroves in the Dundathu Strait – 9.6 kilometres (six miles) from Maryborough.

Ms Strachan said she was full of praise for the efforts of Daryl Bandholz and Steve Bates who found and secured the boat.

“They were both amazing,” Ms Strachan said.

“They helped secure and save not just our boat, but a lot of others.

“We are so grateful, I can't thank them enough.”

Mr Bandholz insisted his contribution to the flood recovery was to help others.

The Walkers Point painter was isolated on his riverside property for a week.

He said he helped secure debris on the river to keep busy and help out.

Each day he would patrol his stretch of the river for boats, pontoons, drums – “anything that was a danger on the river”.

“I tried to help catch anything I could,” Mr Bandholz said.

“We stopped and anchored a 20-tonne houseboat, at least a dozen other boats and a load of pontoons.

“The river was roaring for five or six days – I just did what I could to help out.” he said.

Ms Strachan said the yacht appeared to have suffered relatively minor damage after bumping it's way down the river.

She said after repairs and a good clean up the couple hoped to be off again, sailing into the sunset.