Some of the best work recovering from a disaster is done at the grassroots level by the people who are closest to it, and that's certainly true of two organisations that have sprung up in the north west since February.
Sisters of the North was begun barely days after the floodwaters receded, committing itself to the principle that all money would be spent in the areas affected by the disaster.
"What resonated with everyone with Sisters of the North was they knew it was going to stay local," one of the organisers, Peter Dowling said.
"We weren't getting money and giving to anywhere but here. We're not handling goods, we're handling cash, and people have just donated and donated."
So far the charity has raised $1.1m, which it's already making available through a ground-breaking SMS system.
Believed to be the first of its kind in Australia and attracting interested attention, the system developed with assistance from Clay Cini of EQ LIVE means that businesses in the six affected shires have registered their interest with Sisters of the North.
Ambassadors, identified by the group, have been distributing the voucher codes to those in need.
After receiving an SMS with a voucher code the recipient presents the code at a participating business to claim their voucher.
Businesses are verifying vouchers using the automated SMS service and they're reimbursed from the Sisters of the North charity trust account each Monday.
"We can text you a voucher with a number. You come into say, Julia Creek, and go into the hardware shop and buy that hammer, it's $80," Mr Dowling said.
"We've registered all the businesses in the towns, so they go yep, what's your number, and they type it in.
"It comes back to the charity - they get a security code - and it goes through.
"There's a $20 credit left on the SMS, that you can still use."
Registration of the charity and setting up the organisation has been done in record time, Mr Dowling said, with assistance from the Prime Minister's office, indicating the urgency for what it could offer.
"We got through the registration process in 10 days, which usually takes eight weeks."
Thanks to Susan Dowling's workplace, the Western Queensland Primary Health Network, she has been able to combine her usual work with the flood recovery effort.
"They've recognised that Sisters of the North is a great vehicle for the area for health and mental wellbeing and they've said, keep working for it," Mr Dowling said.
"The catchphrase for Sisters of the North is resilience against adversity, so that's meshing with her work."
The group is trying to steer clear of chewing up money raised in administration costs, aiming for grants instead, and would love to see some money put aside from the disaster recovery scheme to help them pay for an office assistant.
Re-stocking the North West
Another group quietly replacing herds and bringing producers new hope in the meantime is Re-stocking the North West.
Begun almost the day that the full extent of the disaster became known, Charters Towers cattleman Adrian Hollingsworth started the private initiative that has become a nationwide network aimed at saving the country's cattle herd.
Mr Hollingsworth has stepped back a little through the necessity of his own stock work, handing the livestock side to Fiona Skinner at Theodore and Angie Willoughby at Charters Towers, but said they'd placed somewhere in the vicinity of 6000 head of cattle on agistment.
At the last update, 500 head of cattle had been donated to rebuild herds in the north west.
Cash donations are also assisting the group to buy stock, such as a $10,000 donation from the Nebo Rodeo Association, with which 30 weaner heifers were purchased to be part of an 80-head mob that went north of Julia Creek.
"There are still about 20 other families on the list to help," Mr Hollingsworth said. "We know there's more but we couldn't take much more on.
"The effectiveness of the program is up to the donors, and the girls will keep going for the next 18 months or so, but it's definitely working."
Angie said their aim was to help the little people with big losses.
Read more: A long hard road to recovery