You have to love Australians:

When flooding cut off the New South Wales town of Hinton, in the heart of Hunter Valley wine country, its residents sent out an SOS. Their need was urgent. Amid the rising water levels they found themselves more than a little dry. But it was not a consignment of chardonnay that they ordered from the State Emergency Service, but beer: a dozen kegs and three dozen cartons were duly brought in by boat. Proof, if proof were needed, that Australia remains a nation of beer drinkers that is not about to change.

It seems that even in the midst of floods that caused 280 million in damages, beer was at the forefront of the Australian psyche and had to be provided through government emergency services. It was even brought in by boat last week to make sure that the right ingredients were there for the big rugby match, called the State of Origin: "When we had some room in the boat we could take a few kegs of beer across to the Hinton pub, because of course State of Origin is on tonight... and it's important that we let communities function as normally as possible." You have to love Australians. More here.