Tinnie Heroes Who Helped NSW Flood Victims Have Been Given ‘Free Beer For A Year’

Two blokes who helped flood-affected people in NSW's far north have been given free beer and fuel for a year for their efforts.

Murwillumbah Brett Bugg was one of many people who found themselves in trouble when the water level continued to rise during the heavy rains this month.

He tried to contact the SES but they were busy with other jobs and it was too late to evacuate.

Thankfully for him, he was rescued minutes later by two mystery men in a tinnie.

"We couldn't get the SES ... and within five minutes the boys turned up," Bugg explained to the national broadcaster.

"It was just one of those accidents of history that saved our butts."

"We heard the motor and went 'that's not a car, that's a boat going up the road'... the boat went right up on the verandah and we were able to jump in."

As well as rescuing the Bugg family, the two unknown boaties saved loads of other people, including one family with a baby.

The identity of the two heroes remained a mystery...until now.

Terranora brothers Chad and Josh Curtis said they saw people begging for help on social media as the rain came down, so they decided to jump in their trusty tinnie to help out their neighbours.

While it's tough to put a price on their heroic efforts, the Curtis brothers have been rewarded with free beer for a whole year.

"We had no other option, to us, that's just the way we were brought up," carpenter Josh Curtis said.

"[But] I do love beer."

Floodwaters have now receded and the massive clean-up effort has begun, but that hasn't stopped Brett Bugg from making it his mission to gift the boys with their tokens of appreciation.

"I just want to say thanks. It's pretty emotional, you know. We could have been stuck there," he said.

"I know that they've saved heaps of other people's lives, and they're just two blokes in a tinnie.

"It's not just from me, it's from everyone you've rescued."

Josh said he and his brother 'didn't expect anything' in return.

"I don't know what to say, honestly," he said. "The way we try to live our lives is if people need help then you go and help them."

In another adorable twist, the three men plan to go on a fishing trip when the clean-up is finally done.