Free beers as flooded town reopens for business

The tiny town of Woolooga, west of Gympie, has reached a major milestone after devastating floods earlier this year.

The Australia Day floods badly damaged the town's only shop, pub and community hall - disrupting the lives of about 40 residents.

After months of cleaning and rebuilding, the shop reopened last Friday.

Owner Barry Hawke says he couldn't have done it without the help of locals.

"I'm not used to it. We used to live in Noosa and you get nothing," he said.

"We're not used to people helping you for nothing."

The hotel will also reopen this afternoon and publican Bill Clark-Coolee, 82, says there will be free beer for everyone who helped.

But he says freeloaders are unwelcome.

"You don't want to put it on the ABC news to get every bloody hippie around the place," he said.

Source: ABC News, 12 August 2012