A convoy of trucks with eight 5100 gallon water tanks strapped to them arrived around 7am after the long journey from Dalby in Queensland.

The water tanks were destined for South Arm, where many families lost everything, including access to fresh drinking water; at the Bushfire Recovery Meeting in Bowraville it was mentioned that there were more than a few locals who had resorted to drinking dam water over the past month.

This much-needed gift of water tanks, along with four more today, and 11 more to arrive on December 20, has come courtesy of the Bowraville Lions Club who made appeals to both Lions Club Australia and Lions International for funding.

The total funding the Lions had secured for the 23 large tanks and two smaller ones amounts to around $64,000 in total.

"When we inquired at the Anglican Hall evacuation centre, the most pressing need other than food and clothing was a need for water," club president Mark Scott said. "The hardest task was to get our hands on water tanks, which are in short supply at the moment. Down in Taree alone they've had calls for 200 tanks."

When the Bowra Lions announced they were purchasing the tanks and put a call-out to people in the community in need, they were surprised by the response.

"We now have an extensive list of people requiring tanks and we've had to get it down to the people with the most need," Mark said. "It's been quite eye-opening, to see people doing it so tough."

The tanks will be delivered on-site where possible and installed. Mark said Council has offered to fill up the tanks for free, and will start to do that in the coming days.

Mark said there was an emotional response from those who received the gift of water on Thursday.

"They said with the red tape around disaster funding and everything else going on, getting these tanks means a lot to the community right now," he said.

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