maitland local karen newton , a teacher and former professional musician , had just finished playing at the kurri kurri dawn service and was on her way to gillieston heights to deliver food to the victims of the floods .
when she got to the water 's edge at testers hollow , ms newton plucked her cornet from the car and began playing the bugle call once again , across the water to the isolated residents in a goosebump-inducing moment .