The empathy shown by Tzu Chi members like Carol Su (left) and Anna Chu as the organization handed out cash-cards pre-loaded with A$500 warmed the hearts of victims of the Queensland floods. (Jimmy Lin)

In early 2011, the Australian state of Queensland suffered severe flooding. In the city of Brisbane, which is home to many Taiwanese expats, this experience led to changes and unity both within the Taiwanese community and across ethnic boundaries.

The rains poured down relentlessly, turning Brisbane into a veritable ocean, damaging some 30,000 homes and forcing thousands to evacuate. Fortunately, the Taiwanese-heavy southern suburb of Sunnybank is located on higher ground, helping them avoid much of the disaster. "Australians love to live by the sea or by rivers, but Taiwanese prefer to live higher up. You could say our historical tendency to try and keep out of trouble served us well," says president of the Australian Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce Wilson Lu.

While this flood did not bring any direct harm to Taiwanese residents, it did bring benefits, in the form of greater unity within the Taiwanese expat community and new opportunities to connect with the local community.