QANTAS team members and Australian Red Cross volunteers delivered hundreds of presents to flood impacted communities on the Mid North Coast, as part of the fourth annual PlaneDeer Christmas Gift Drive.
The specially chartered flight, Santa’s Link “Dasher 8” arrived at Port Macquarie Airport on Tuesday morning, 16 December.
Students and staff from Coopernook Public School, who had been up early to travel by bus to Port Macquarie, filled the airport with excited chatter and Christmas cheer.
Phillip Hanlon, a spokesperson for Australian Red Cross said, “Immediately following the Mid North Coast floods in May 2025, local residents and community groups in Kempsey, Coopernook, and the broader region, mobilised to support neighbours: clearing debris, sharing resources (food, water, shelter) and organising local clean-up fronts.
“In partnership with Qantas, hundreds of gifts donated by Qantas staff were flown into Port Macquarie Airport and delivered to students of Coopernook Public School, and Kempsey East, West, and South public schools.”
There was a sea of red as Red Cross volunteers disembarked and joined local volunteers in handing out gifts.
Emergency Lead Sarah U’Brien said, “We work with Qantas each year as they sponsor communities that have been affected by hardship and bring some Christmas cheer.
“This year we nominated Coopernook because we know the impact on that community and how the school pulled together and rallied in such a beautiful and kind and generous way.
“We wanted to give a little bit of kindness back, because they have given so much to everyone.
“I’m so glad that we could share this with them today.”
Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Adam Roberts and Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer were in attendance and helped distribute gifts.
George Miedecke from Miedecke Motor Group provided transport to Kempsey for Red Cross staff and the gifts they had to hand out to students.
“It is wonderful that our communities have bonded together through such devastation and hardship,” Mr Dwyer said.
“We want them to know they have not been forgotten.”
Staff members from Coopernook Public School, Rachel Nicholson and Janine Stephen, spoke quietly about how tough this year has been for their community and how they have all been impacted by the devastation of the floods.
The joy on the faces of their students as the Red Cross Bear, ‘Big Ted’, disembarked and gave them Trauma Teddies to hold, moved those on the tarmac on Tuesday morning.
Once the children burst into song, with a beautiful rendition of “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer,” there was not a dry eye in the crowd.
By Pauline CAIN
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