Brassal family hit by Queensland flood crisis win division one lottery



A BRASSALL family that struggled through last year’s floods had a sudden change in fortunes when they brought a winning ticket from a flood-crippled newsagent to take out division one of the national lottery yesterday.


$5 million dollars from the Oz 7 Lotto draw was the exact proportion of the turnaround for a family that had been through one of their hometown’s most stressful times.

ONE YEAR ON: Check out our special interactive on the Queensland flood crisis

Even the store they bought the ticket from, Vogue Newsagency in Brisbane Street, Ipswich, had been completely underwater last January and stayed closed until August.

According to a Golden Casket spokeswoman, the winner wasn’t aware of the multi-million dollar windfall until the lotto phoned him yesterday morning to tell him the news.

“It’s too early to say how we’ll use the prize money, but I can assure you it will make a big difference in our lives,” the winner said.

“Last year was a very challenging year so it’s nice to start 2012 with such great news.”

He said his faithful ticket vendor had also done him proud.

“Vogue Newsagency was completely under water in the floods, and didn’t manage to reopen until August,” the winner said.

“They’ve been through such a tough time; I make a point of giving them my business to show my support.”

Vogue Newsagency owner Mike Boyland said his store was very excited to be starting 2012 with a division one win, following a year of financial and emotional hardship in 2011.

More stories on the first anniversary of the Queensland flood crisis in Thursday’s print edition of The Courier-Mail.

“Ipswich secured two division one wins in Gold Lotto’s New Year’s Eve Megadraw and now someone in the area has won five million,” he said.

“Let’s hope the good fortune continues in Ipswich in 2012.”

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