Too Much Water!

Too Much Water!

Mount Alexander Shire 2010 to 2012 flood events

Gingell St, Castlemaine. Photo: Matt Wobbly

Acknowledgements This project has been made possible thanks to the support of the Victoria Government Flood Recovery Program, with assistance from the Mount Alexander Community Recovery Committee.

Mount Alexander Community Recovery Committee 2012 Members: Castlemaine District Community Health Inc: Cath Butler, Jo Wedgewood and Elaine Atkinson.

Mount Alexander Shire Council: Vanessa Healy, Sue Jones, Kate Clifford, Jill Scanlon and Councillor Bronwyn Machin.

Department of Human Services: Glenda Jenkins and Matt Brown.

Mount Alexander Volunteer Network: Jacqueline Brodie-Hanns.

Sincere thanks to the residents, business owners, council and volunteers who opened their doors, brought their stories to life and shared their fears, dismay, reflections, recovery and gratitude.

To those we missed: We acknowledge the many other stories un-recorded and unspoken and hope that within these pages will be a shared voice or a similar story that can be called yours.

Production Project photo-narrative concept, design and production Deanna Neville Focus on Community PO Box 365, Castlemaine 3450, Australiao M: +61428 751 090 W: www.focusoncommunity.org This booklet can be viewed, linked and shared via: www.issuu.com/focusoncommunity/docs Design assistance Green Graphics, Castlemaine.

Photo credits Thank-you to the following people for contributing to the photographic content of this booklet: Matt Wobbly, Hans Jansen, Saide Gray, Cathy McCallum, Deanna Neville, Christopher Simmins, Amber Baker, Stephen Brown, Kerrie Jennings, Don Noble, Ashley Tracey, Jessica Mack, Michael Gordon, Lorraine Broom, Julie Hough, Richard Bradley and Graeme Hilder.

Story content Written by project participants or expressed via interview. Edited by Deanna Neville.

Printing Espress Printers, Bendigo.

Copyright 2013 ISBN 978-0-9876022-1-3

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Too Much Water!

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Top & bottom, views of Newstead. Photos: Christopher Simmins

Too Much Water!

A collection of photos and stories from people of Mount Alexander Shire.

2010 to 2012 flood events.

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Top & bottom: Jennings’ farm, Baringhup. Photo: Kerrie Jennings

Foreword The floods of 2010-12 were quite catastrophic for the Mount Alexander Shire, causing immense damage, personal hardships and at times threatening lives. Almost no-one in the Shire was left unaffected and our emergency organisations faced enormous challenges in coping with requests for help. The situation called for a huge community effort to cope first with the emergency then with the clean-up and restoration processes.

Out of this chaos emerged some wonderful and heart-warming stories of the human dimensions to the floods. Deanna Neville moved amongst our community and was struck by the stories of heart-break and courage that people shared.

This booklet is the outcome of that sharing. It gives people a voice and presents us with photographs of the narrators, alongside part of their story. The style is strikingly effective - we are taken straight to the heart of the stories, without requiring a careful introduction nor a general context for the tale. We are thrust straight to the essential message that the tellers wanted to convey. I found this to be a most powerful device and quickly understood the human dimension to the tale.

The stories are taken from right across the Shire, ranging from affected residents to organisers to squads of volunteer labour. The method of often matching people on two sides of a story works well - I found I often had a lump in my throat as I came to appreciate the generous self-sacrifice offered by many people.

Dean from Newstead stood beside me as we looked at the raging torrent of the Loddon River and we were aware of the desperate battle going on across the other side to save the town by building up the levee bank with sandbags. All of us will have our own stories and this booklet ensures that we can reflect with pride on how our community coped with the floods.

Michael Redden, Mayor Mount Alexander Shire Council February 2013

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Botanical Gardens, Castlemaine. Photo: Matt Wobbly

Reflections Between 2010 and 2012, a series of major storm events were experienced in the Mount Alexander Shire. These events rocked the community. Deluges of flood water inundated homes, businesses, services and properties. Flash flooding swept through lounge rooms and streets and volumes of water razed the landscape.

Five major flood events occurred over those 18 months, impacting some areas several times over. In other places, just a single event was enough to tear through people’s homes, places of work or properties. And for a few, a lucky escape.

Council reporting throughout the periods of management and repair provide a detailed account of the events of this time, from which some still reflect and others still recover.

4th & 5th September, 2010

56 millimetres recorded at Castlemaine, number of large culverts severely damaged and repaired, a number of local roads damaged and repaired.

25th to 28th November, 2010

142 millimetres recorded at Castlemaine,11 households flooded, 15 Council–owned community buildings severely damaged, 2 bridges severely damaged and repaired culverts damaged again.

10th to 15th January, 2011

195.6 millimetres recorded at Castlemaine.

5th February, 2011 A further 101 millimetres of rain recorded at Castlemaine, 61 households flooded, 40 farming properties impacted, 450 kilometres of local roads damaged, 16 bridges and major culverts damagedrepaired culverts damaged again.

27th & 28th February, 2012

156.8 millimetres recorded at Castlemaine, including 97.8 millimetres on 28 February, 75 millimetres fell within a 90 minute period, 115 households damaged (11 homes and 6 shops severely flooded), 20 local businesses suffered damage, 11 council-owned community buildings damaged again, 50 more local roads damaged, and further damage to a (relatively small) number of rehabilitated roads and further damage to 11 bridges and major culverts.

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From Council Report 2012 based on information supplied by Bureau of Meteorology

Top & bottom: Castlemaine Cabins, Castlemaine. Photo: Graeme Hilder

Table of contents Acknowledgements Foreword - Cr Michael Redden, Mayor Reflections Debra Goldsmith, Taradale and Jasmine Wrigley, Somers Lyn Ace, Bill Quirk and Sharon Robinson, Chewton Linda and Graeme Hilder and Paul and Marie Davey, Castlemaine Joyce Sanders, Castlemaine Graham and Sirpa Weightman, Melbourne and Jocelyn Murrell, Wayne Weightman and Bob Doolan, Castlemaine Bob Pratt and Bill Maltby, Castlemaine Sandra Goode, Castlemaine and Christine Henderson, Taradale Don and Val Noble and Peter and Margaret McMillan, Campbells Creek Vanessa Healey, Castlemaine and Ellen Lloyd, Campbells Creek Ian Higgins, Campbells Creek Matt Taft, Castlemaine and Jedekiah McDonald, Chewton Peter and Nola Brown, Castlemaine Dean Norman and Orlena, Newstead John Bell, Ricky Petersen and Christopher Simmins, Newstead Graeme Elshaug and Merv Ramsey, Newstead Richard Bradley, Robert Wilson, Irene Lloyd, Tom Chivers and Jim Smith, Baringhup and Jo Wedgwood, Castlemaine Richard Bradley and Robert Wilson, Baringhup Ed Baker and Shane Baker, Baringhup Mike Fry, Maryborough and Robert and Kerrie Jennings, Baringhup Rob, Gunilla, Ella and Zahra Forbes, Metcalfe, Prue Denner, Castlemaine and Noel Pereira, Melbourne Kate Hamond and Margaret Naish, Metcalfe

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Overwhelmed by the spirit and generosity of the people who came to help.

Photo: Michael Gordon

Debra Goldsmith Taradale

Jasmine Wrigley Somers

Unless you experience something like that, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like. I really feel for the people up in Queensland and in Northern Victoria, they were out of their houses for months and months. It’s out of the media so quickly, people can feel forgotten. It’s very difficult to ask for help and I’m not alone in that.

When I went up to give Debra a hand, there was just too much for us and when we heard that volunteers were coming it was a blessing.

After the flood I was kind of a bit in shock, and you can’t really do anything much.

But dealing with stress, you can go into depression really easily. I'd lost my cat; she drowned, then a month later my dog took a bait and died on my first walk since the floods. I started riding again, which was a big step. Recovery is very up and down. My horse got colic and died one weekend when I was away which was very traumatic. I’ve got my other horses back now and I’m back to walking and painting which helps.

Jasmine lives in Somers. We’d worked together for about ten years, doing paint effects, design, murals and scenic art on films. She came up after the flood, took me out, took me to yoga and helped to organise things, such as when a crew of Bendigo Anglican Church volunteers turned up – that was wonderful but overwhelming – having 20 people I didn’t know here pulling carpets out, cleaning up, mowing lawns. Jas helped me through that. I couldn’t have managed it without her. I feel so grateful to have her as a friend. Having her support was great, someone who knew me so well, because I can just fall apart when people are helping me that way.

So I came back when the volunteers arrived - all shapes, sizes and ages. And all were amazing.

I ended up being a sort of project coordinator, working with the head of their group, saying this has to go, put that over there, please don’t step on the plants!

I was so impressed by their open generosity.

They weren’t judgmental.

Debra lives in her own creative way, so her home wasn’t necessarily what the volunteers might have been expecting.

They just got in, enthusiastically mopping, scrubbing, and sweeping. Debra became overcome with tears by their willingness to help.

Debra’s home had been devastated, and to have all these people come to her aid was something we can only imagine; from being overwhelmed and isolated to being embraced and supported by community.

My area was coordinating the group and of course my specialty; tea, cake and drinks, so I think Debra appreciated that.

She was going through so much that it wouldn’t have easily occurred to her to offer cups of tea! I didn’t feel like I did that much but there’s a lot to be said for the church volunteers strong sense of community.

I think when communities pull together like that it’s really comforting and reassuring.

It was a really inspiring time.

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Debra in Taradale. Photo: Deanna Neville

A really inspiring time. When communities pull together like that it’s really comforting and reassuring.

Jasmine in Somers. Photo: Michael Gordon

Everyone is really happy to be ready when called on.

Lyn Ace and Bill Quirk Chewton

Sharon Robinson Chewton

Sharon’s been flooded out twice. It was just raining so hard, and water was coming in through our roof window, the first time ever. She phoned here and it was fairly obvious that there was nothing we could do to hold it back.

Coming up our street the road was like a river; driving through water covering the whole road. At Sharon’s place I had to step out into water over my boots. When the headlights went on we could actually see the damage and how much water there actually was.

We’ve all got something in common that was very overwhelming and upsetting.

I knew I had the sandbags from the previous waters, and although it was bad I phoned my neighbours straight away and said, I really need help!

Sharon had the sandbags there from the previous flood, and the side gate was shut and was blocking the flow of the water. I pushed it open and that let a lot of water go out. The bags were falling apart but they did the job. The water had been flowing into the house – it’s so low, and there was water three to four inches deep in through the house by that stage.

We’re very private people and very busy with our activities, but we always chat with our neighbours. But everyone is really happy to be ready when called on. Sharon and us will phone or text each other – we really should just walk over but you just get so caught up. But if we haven’t heard from her we’ll just check in that she’s okay; we have some sort of communication every couple of days. She’s very good to us – our ideal neighbour! Keeps to herself, but always keeps an eye out for us.

They drove over and put the headlights on the veranda and put sandbags all along the front door. It stopped a lot of water from coming in straight away. I’d rung the SES but, you know, all wait in line. When Bill came he really cut down the amount of water coming in. It was so quick! I rang SES back to cancel because it had cut so much water back.

To clean up I used 30 bath towels, four beach towels, a blanket, a queen-sized flannel sheet set, hand towels, bath mats, a bedspread and a quilt – anything and everything that was in my cuLypboard.

Hey, even after everything was so wet, I still managed to find a dry towel to dry my feet before I got into bed! I washed and washed, soaked and soaked; the line was full, so many times.

Lyn and Bill are the best neighbours I’ve ever come across in my entire life.

And they’re there to help with any and everything. I just can’t thank them enough. Every now and again I buy them a bottle of wine to say thanks, and I always offer help back. I will be there for them. They’re there for me so much.

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There to help with any and everything.

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L-R: Lyn Ace, Bill Quirk and Sharon Robinson. Photo: Deanna Neville

Linda and Graeme Hilder Castlemaine Cabins

Paul and Marie Davey Castlemaine

At the time we were just in awe about how much help we had. But then you sort of forget and time goes on.

Linda and Graeme used to come here as customers when we ran the park. Over the years our friendship has grown and we consider them very dear friends, so we’d be here for anything they needed.

There was a lady who heard something on the radio and turned up. And the Anglican Church provided meals – the food just appeared, and some days we had at least 50 volunteers. And our families were just fantastic – thank goodness we have a big family! And the staff were the same. They turned up and worked day after day. They were amazing. Amazing people.

From the minute the rain became really heavy Paul and Marie came over and did all the things we hadn’t thought of – turning off gas bottles, power, getting things up off the ground. That night, they took all the guests home and put them up for the night. Maybe 10 or 12.

We were blown away, to just take home strangers like that.

Volunteers fell into the support role and they just did what they had to do.

The pool sticks in my mind. It was two feet under water and full of bracken and rubbish. Paul had been through cleaning the park during the previous flood, so their advice was enormous with everything. Paul volunteered to get into the pool and shovel out the half metre of rubbish. He spent hours, over a couple of days, in the pool. Shivering.

He just took over getting the pool back into shape.

Our appreciation goes out to everyone.

We’d only been here six months and people just turned up, they didn’t need any direction, they just arrived and said, where do I start?

We have a house in the next street and we could see the creek rising and rising, and Linda and Graeme perhaps weren’t expecting the problem to develop so rapidly. We’d been through the previous flood so had some idea what to expect, but this time was a whole new challenge as we had to do it in the dark and with no electricity. We were amazed by Linda and Graeme’s calmness and patience. They just stepped up a gear and did what they had to do. They were amazing. We felt stressed and frustrated, especially that we couldn’t help them more.

If we’re traumatized at all, it’s that we’re concerned about future floods. The original creek used to run behind where the supermarket is and was redirected, maybe in the late 1800s. Essentially, this section was designed as an urban drain and it hasn’t had maintenance for years and is now overgrown with reeds and trees and is heavily silted up to the point that even moderate inundations are likely to burst the banks. It continues to silt up with the reeds constantly catching silt and gravels and debris.

We were inspired by how small communities protected their towns with temporary levees, and hope a much bigger town like ours can solve a relatively much smaller problem.

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They were amazing.

Amazing people.

L-R: Marie and Paul Davey, Linda and Graeme Hilder. Photo: Deanna Neville

Joyce Sanders Soldier & Scholar, Castlemaine

We could learn from each others’ experiences.

Flooding doesn’t differentiate between homes and businesses. But business flooding can be kept very quiet unless a business is completely washed away. I think businesses worry that flooding is bad for business in more ways than one, that people won’t come in if they hear you’ve been flooded. It was only when I went into other businesses in my street that I realized that they had been flooded as well. I don’t think any other businesses registered with Council that they had been flooded even though some said water washed across the floor almost a metre deep. To me, registering the shop as flooded wasn’t a way to get assistance, but rather to see if there were patterns to try to understand why some shops got flooded and others didn’t. I thought Council would want to understand if there were any problems with CBD drainage. For instance, on the western side of Barker Street, all of the shops are positioned at the bottom of a stone cliff which sends water cascading downwards into the shops unless there are drains to stop it. I imagined that there might be something we could learn from each others’ experiences.

I was flooded two years in a row. The second year the SES came and pumped out my cellar in less than two hours. I was in awe of these two people – one stood on the footpath and the other went down the cellar and away went the water. Jo from CHIRP came to check on how I was dealing with the flooding and she gave me more practical advice than any builder – she’s just such a practical person. It was good just to have someone to talk to, even if it was about mould!

Some dads at the local primary school said they would shovel up all the mud in the cellar, in exchange of a donation to the school. They did a fantastic job, even though it ended up being a much bigger job than we first thought.

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Photo: Jessica Mack

Wayne Weightman Castlemaine

Graham and Sirpa Weightman Melbourne Bob Doolan, Castlemaine

It rained and it wouldn’t stop! Too much water! I’ll always remember it in my mind. I woke up that morning and the water from the creek over the road was just starting to come under the door and within an hour nearly the whole block was under two feet of water. I got a little bit panicky so I called Joce to call the SES ‘cos I didn’t think I could get out. The water was a wild river. I was right up the back fence and thought, how am I going to get out?

He rang us on that day to say the river was rushing and the water was coming from the back and the two had met. He was in bed and woke up to it. The water was about three feet high through the whole house. He’d gone to bed thinking everything was okay and it wasn’t.

After that, St Luke’s helped us get a place in the caravan park and we came back about five days later. It stunk. It was dirty, muddy and everything had fallen over – the fridge, washing machine, microwave – the water had actually picked everything up and turned it on its side. It looked like the wildest house party ever had in the street!

Strength of the team.

All that support.

My parents were a great assistance to us. They came up from Melbourne and helped clean up. It took weeks working every day. It was traumatic having the flood, but I feel a great deal of gratitude that they helped.

Bob was our right-hand man. He was the strength of the team. He had the strong back and muscle, lifting everything, and he took everything out of the house with Dad. Alexander Zammit also put us up whilst things were getting renovated. He was a great host.

I’d go through it again, with all that support. I’m not going to move if it happens again.

We came and ripped up the carpet, the flooring, the heaters, the furniture – everything that was in the house had to be thrown out. The mud on the floor was three inches. Then we had to start getting quotes on new carpets. We had to replace half the floorboards in the back room, and stack things in the back yard under a tarp.

We didn’t believe it was quite so traumatic for us, but it was hard for Wayne because he had collected so much over the years and it all went. So he fears things happening again, and once or twice the water has come up again so we put things back up on tables again.

We were a bit prepared for it, but not prepared! It washed logs onto the road.

Wayne’s wheelie bin was stuck in a tree down the road! But things are getting back into ship-shape. It was truly a turbulent event.

There’s certainly apprehension that it could happen again. But we have to acknowledge the SES. And Mount Alexander Shire Council were really very helpful in clearing things up and taking away all the rubbish.

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A great deal of gratitude.

L-R: Graham and Sirpa Weightman, Jocelyn Murrell, Wayne Weightman and Bob Doolan. Photo: Deanna Neville

Let’s work together.

We’re all working for the same cause.

Bob Pratt, SES Controller Castlemaine

Bill Maltby, CFA Captain Castlemaine

With the weather events over the last couple of years, in the Castlemaine district especially, the SES and CFA have been working extremely well together, for the better outcome of the community. The SES is responsible for flood and storm damage, but the first assistance came from the CFA because they’re a support agency for our operation. By getting together earlier we can coordinate it much better.

The whole system was under the hammer.

The SES needed assistance and the CFA had the manpower and vehicles to support them. They were overwhelmed because of the number of calls, and the CFA had 80 people plus 20 vehicles.

Because we’ve got limited numbers in the SES – we’ve probably got about 16 that can turn out – and when you’ve got 160 calls in an hour for assistance, having the CFA to support our activities is essential. It was mostly flash flooding caused by heavy rains which needed immediate response, and at the last event we had at least 30 CFA units attend to those jobs. Because of flooding at the SES Headquarters we moved to the CFA Headquarters and operated from there. Bill was the instigator of that. We obviously coordinated the response as the control agency but Bill mustered his troops and coordinated the support. It was very effective and the response time was reduced dramatically.

We just delegated jobs through Bill to send crews to certain areas to respond.

I was very impressed with the way the CFA volunteers fell into the support role and they just did what they had to do.

The liaison between the two services is outstanding – as good as any you’ll find in the State, if not better, and that’s what we’ve been working towards over the years, as an all-agency response to emergencies.

Our station is set up as a divisional command centre to cater for larger incidents. It’s good that we’ve got the system we have, because their jobs would have just kept piling up. Their system operates differently to CFA, and so we said, we’re here, let’s work together.

And that is the future, whether it be a major fire, flood or storm, that the agencies all work together. Because Bob was flooded, he had two issues: One, he was flooded himself and, as Unit Controller, also had to coordinate the major flood. So we both learnt that you can work together and in the future we’ll continue to. So, out of a bad incident, good has come out of it and that was shown in the second flood, when he rang up and said, can you get me four units.

We now know and understand we can do that.

Bob is extremely professional and one of the Unit Controllers used widely across Victoria because of his experience.

He and I can see that there should no longer be a ‘them and us’ because we’re all working for the same cause, but in different types of emergencies our equipments compliment each other. At the end, it showed that both agencies can work very well together.

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Volunteers fell into the support role and they just did what they had to do.

Photo: Deanna Neville

I realised how much admiration I had for such a strong spirit.

Sandra Goode, St Luke’s Castlemaine

Cr Christine Henderson Taradale

I was supporting a client through her flood event, and as a worker, there wasn’t a clear pathway to know how to help someone work through the situation.

When you’re working with someone who’s been through that trauma and who is very vulnerable, the lack of information isn’t very helpful.

There were obviously other people involved in the process and I was turning to anyone I saw talking to Sandra’s client, saying, we’ve got to help this person! She’s got holes in her floor and the insurance was only going to cover her carpets! You can’t put carpet over holes! Who’s going to worry about her floor?!

But there was one volunteer in particular that my client felt most comfortable with, which is a really important aspect for her.

It was through Christine, who helped my client find out about the DHS grants, that we got to fund repairs to her house. Being connected to local council, Christine got in touch with the flood recovery network and we got the ball rolling. It was just like a godsend.

Finding out about the grants process through Christine really helped. If she hadn’t been the volunteer to go to my client, then possibly that financial support may not have happened, and that thought horrifies me. So it’s huge, because the insurance was never going to cover the damage. Then there was that vicarious stress – where I’m the worker, getting secondary stress and frustration from the situation by not knowing how to support her.

My concern was to find out who were the various support workers that looked after her – her medical needs, who looks after her mental health, and I wondered who was the umbrella person for this vulnerable person? It turned out to be Sandra from St Luke’s.

I was concerned about the physical environment of her client. I’m sure Sandra was making noises too, contacting the various agencies and departments. When I met the client, I realised how much admiration I had for her self-awareness of her own condition, looking out for herself and knowing what she can and can’t do. She’s such a strong spirit but limited by her situation.

Of all the various people who interacted with this client, Sandra was the one who cared for the whole person. She was like someone with a higher order of support; having her client’s wellbeing in mind all the time, rather than a tick-box process.

So I’d imagine Sandra also would have found it traumatic to know how it was for her client.

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It was just like a godsend.

Photo: Matt Wobbly

Don and Val Noble Campbells Creek

Peter and Margaret McMillan Campbells Creek

We couldn’t get out. We had no hope.

And Margaret and Peter couldn’t get out either; they were trapped too.

When water main burst over the road we just watched the water come over. We had no time at all. The neighbours across the road helped pull us out because the water was right up to our waists. I didn’t know who it was seeing us trying to scramble up the driveway. You needed to be quite strong to go against the current and when the front gates and brick wall came away there was quite a torrent of water. My sister was visiting from Scotland and she was terrified. And I was carrying my cat!

When we opened the back door the door mat took off across the yard! It was under water – everywhere! We went out the front then, and couldn’t get out there either. Then the CFA pulled up.

Someone got Margaret and Peter’s car out the first time but in the second flood it was wrecked. They lost their front fence, their side fence, their garage – everything went. We helped them get into Castlemaine to register with the Council and Margaret said, if I need you again, I’ll let you know.

The folks next door came they just filed in. We really don’t know what we would have done without all the help.

Our lounge got flooded. It was smelly for ages. A fair bit got in through the carpets and we thought we might have to pump the water out. We had all our record albums wrecked that were on the floor in the lounge. Except for Elvis and a special Glenn Miller Album!

The house was built around 1856. It’s been a wine shop, a boot shop and a lolly shop. And a Chinese market garden out the back. The flood went through the walls and we had to get them rerendered. The wash of the traffic, mainly four wheel drives, washed the mortar out of the bottom five rows of bricks.

But our insurance was very good.

It brought everybody together around here with a common cause. Some neighbours were terrified. Margaret and Peter are very nice people and we’re still friends.

Three days after that the water was down enough to let us get in and the folks next door came – they just filed in, saying their names as they came through – and helped us clean up most of the water.

There were mops and buckets and brooms everywhere. Then my son-in-law came down and we pulled up the carpets and just threw them out the back.

Everyone was really so good. The kids next door were bringing back plant pots and wee ornaments that had floated up the back garden saying, are these yours, Margaret?

Our neighbours and son-in-law tried to save our car, pushing it up the side, but the water just got into it. When we needed to register with Council Don and Val dropped us off in town. We were just getting to know them at the time and we still say hello to one another.

We really don’t know what we would have done without all the help. It would have taken us a week to do what they did in a day.

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It brought everybody together around here with a common cause.

Don and Val Noble. Photo: Matt Wobbly

Smiles on everyone’s faces.

Vanessa Healey Mount Alexander Shire Council

Ellen Lloyd, Coordinator Campbells Creek Playgroup

One morning I received a phone call from a lovely lady named Ellen. She began to tell me about the Campbell's Creek Playgroup, located in the Campbells Creek Community Centre, was flood affected. The Playgroup storage cupboards, which held their toys, arts and crafts and indoor play equipment, was inundated during the January 2011 flood event, and most of the items had to be thrown away.

Playgroup is where it starts for school, if you’re not going to crèche or pre-school.

It’s one of the first big steps and the playgroup connects to the kinders and the kinders connect to the schools.

Ellen was quite distressed about the situation. She hoped that Council could assist with some funds to replace the items that had been destroyed. I organised a time to meet Ellen at the Community Centre and to see if Council could help. It was clear the storage cupboard and the equipment meant a lot to the mums and children who regularly attended the play sessions. Council was able to successfully secure a small amount of funding through the Department of Planning and Community Development's Flood Community Recovery Funds program, which enabled Ellen to arrange new shelving, storage boxes and replacement of stationary and toys for the group.

I’ve been back to the facility since, and the new set up is great. Ellen and the parents have done a fantastic job, and to see the smiles on everyone's faces has made the whole process very rewarding.

The flooding of the Community Centre happened during school holidays, but we were told that the clean-up included our playgroup storeroom. What a shock; it was simply overlooked. The smell! And mud. And the cupboards and shelving, all ruined. It all had to be thrown out.

Vanessa made a massive impact on helping the Playgroup get refurnished. She came down and talked to all the mums who were there.

I couldn’t speak more highly of Vanessa.

We were amazed when she personally came down and talked to our play group.

I’m taking this on as my personal project, she said. We invited her to our Christmas party last year, and she even won a prize!

I’m a great believer in the connections in the community; the dots. Before the floods we didn’t have any connections with Council who own the building, but now they know we’re here and we know how to contact them. They’re going to shift the play equipment from over the road to here when it’s all been updated, bring it up to safety standards and they’ll bring it over to us.

It really does feel like we’ve started joining the dots.

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The connections in the community; we’ve started joining the dots.

With the Campbells Creek Playgroup. Photo: Deanna Neville

Ian Higgins Campbells Creek

You just accept the fact that you’re living on a floodplain.

I love living close to the creek. With all the adjoining public land it’s like being next to a beautiful nature reserve and there’s heaps of wildlife. I know there’s a flood risk, but you just accept the fact that you’re living on a flood plain. We had floods in September, November, January and February (201011) then another in April 2012. The biggest one (January 2011) got close to our house but the only damage we suffered was a knocked over cyclone mesh fence.

A friend of mine really loves the waterways. Right after the November flood we both went for a Li-Lo trip down the creek after the water had cleared but was still flowing strongly. It was a three kilometer trip from the Camp Reserve downstream to my place. I’d always wanted to walk through the bed of the creek from the Five Flags into Castlemaine, but this was better as the water flow did most of the work. It was also a unique perspective, seeing things from water level. I was shivering by the end though!

Environmentally, the floods were a mostly positive influence on the creek. Although there was some bank erosion that stripped away good native vegetation, elsewhere, sediment deposition made attractive beaches. The floods stripped away much of the Cumbungi (which a lot of people dislike). There was a lot of regeneration of River Red-gums, Wattles and even ground flora. Much of it was due to the Landcare Group’s past revegetation work upstream.

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Photo: Deanna Neville

Matt Taft Castlemaine

Jedekiah McDonald Chewton

I drive for Parson’s Towing, and I’d already been out there pulling cars out that’d stopped or died. Even after that lady had been washed off, people were still trying to get through the bridge.

We were hanging onto a tree branch, and a rope was thrown out to us and the lady whose car it was held onto it and she was pulled in. I can remember someone walking out wearing a full-body harness, and putting their arm around me, then the SES blokes pulling the rope in. The current was against us, and at one time our feet couldn’t touch the ground. I remember feeling the edge of the road and thinking, phew!

I pulled up and it was pitch black. I grabbed a torch and walked into the water and couldn’t see the other side.

They could see my light and started yelling from nowhere. I still hadn’t seen a car. It seemed like forever, then the police got there. I drove the truck into the water as far as I could and turned the lights into the area. I had one of my lifejackets brought out and tied it to a rope and waded neck-high into the current and steered it to them. I asked the lady to put it on and she was pretty panicky and just grabbed it, so I reeled her in on the rope, but if she’d let go it would have been the finish. I carried her back to the police car. At that time a CFA bloke helping the SES came into the water and used my apparatus to retrieve Jed.

If she’d let go it would have been the finish.

A few months later when we got nominated for the bravery awards the police exchanged our names and details and it twigged that Jed and I had been working together for a short time earlier.

We didn’t even realize.

The branch they were hanging onto, you wouldn’t go near it if you could avoid it.

It was a short, dead, downward-pointing branch. But it’s still there, about 6 feet off the ground.

I’d come from the opposite side of the creek and I wondered which side to go back to, because I’d come back from Newstead with a mate who was still on that side. I asked the police if I could get onto the radio to get through to him but they said that the communications were so scrambled with all the emergency activity, they couldn’t radio through!

I didn’t know Matt at all. He was the first one to arrive and he put the headlights on us. It was very comforting being able to see what was happening. I remember thinking, crap, I hope there are no big logs floating through here! I was also looking out for tiger snakes because it wasn’t very cold that night.

I didn’t think about what I did until a while after it happened, and I thought, gee, that was a bit tough! And I never thought I’d ever do something like that. I didn’t think I’d be capable of it.

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I never thought I’d ever do something like that.

I didn’t think I’d be capable of it.

Photo: Deanna Neville

Flood scenes at Walmer. Photo: Julie Hough

Peter and Nola Brown Proprietors, Railway Hotel Castlemaine There was a little swell in the gutter outside – about six foot wide. Some of the guys took off their shoes and socks and carried their girlfriends out.

Next morning when I got back, I couldn’t believe it – the cellar was full of water and I couldn’t get in the back door.

The current was so strong I ended up just sitting on the seat on the veranda.

The fire truck came but the current was so swift it was going to drift. The water had ripped up the road asphalt into chunks, so it was really dangerous.

The water kept rising and I thought, I’m going to drown here! I edged my way around the back where the water was calm, then got safely up the hill. Later in the evening all these volunteers started to arrive and we thought, looks like we’re gonna have to do something! There was sludge two inches deep on the floor throughout the pub.

Photo: Stephen Brown

There were probably 30 people who walked in behind us with shovels, brooms, mops, industrial carpet cleaner and extension cords. One guy had a generator. They were amazing. A guy turned up with a furniture truck and took a load to storage when we realized we had to pull the carpet up.

People turned up with sandwiches for lunch, Theatre Royal donated pizzas one night, so we washed the mud off a couple of beer bottles from the cellar and drank them with the volunteers!

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All these volunteers started to arrive. They were amazing.

Peter Brown. Photo: Matt Wobbly

Dean Norman Proprietor, Railway Hotel Newstead In 2010 there were three floods, in roughly three months. The first one, when it flooded, it was sunny during the day and people assumed they’d get through.

The second flood, because there was still water around, there was nowhere for the water to go, and there wasn’t anywhere for the overflow. No-one was allowed to go through – well, we warned them anyway. I was pulling up people, saying, there is no way you can get through - go back the way you came in!

I’ve been around water long enough. I was in Alice Springs before this and when it floods there, it goes under.

The third was alright – it was a good flood.

It was impressive. You could see her rising by the foot in minutes. It was the one that set the alarms off. It was the one that was going to breach the levy bank and they had to build it up. It’s an engineering mistake, having the levy bank lower than the bridge. Otherwise, how do people get out?

I wish I had a skidoo every time it floods so I can go skiing. It’d be good for rescue too.

Photo: Saide Gray

It was a good flood. It was impressive.

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Dean Norman with daughter, Orlena. Photo: Deanna Neville

John Bell Newstead

Ricky Petersen Newstead

We were out doing lots of little CFA callouts and were actually just coming back to the Station. We’d been at the incident where Jason McGrath had helped the SES at Muckleford Creek where someone had been rescued from a stranded car.

We got all the kids out and took them back to the station and then we just went back to save the car. They said, if you can’t get the car out, we need the nappies for the kid and there’s a laptop in there too.

Chris and I were in the station, and Ricky comes flying up and says, there’s somebody stuck in the river, then it came through as a call. And we were short of crew because people couldn’t get in because they were stranded or cut off.

The three of us took the truck down to see what we could do. There were people standing at the bridge watching the flood water and then someone said there were three little kids in the car. One was in nappies.

It couldn’t have happened without them. You’re only as good as the people around you.

We decided to drive out in the truck.

Chris was driving, I was in the front and Ricky was in the back. We lined up the opening of the deck of the truck with the car window and the dad handed the kids out to Ricky who was seating them in the truck crew area.

I jumped off the back of the truck and jumped in the driver’s side window, then just climbed to the back and popped open the back. I had to tie the rope from the truck to the car towbar under the water. I couldn’t see what I was doing.

When Chris and John started pulling the car, the back window dropped shut, so I had no communication with them. I was yelling and yelling and yelling but no-one could hear me, saying stop.

I couldn’t get the car in neutral. We had to give it up so I undid the tow rope, went back out the way I came in, out the window, onto the roof and back into the truck.

We couldn’t save the car, but I managed to save the nappies and the laptop!

We were there. It needed to be done and we did it. It all came together quite nicely, even though it was a bit ad hoc and spurof-the-moment.

Though we didn’t manage to pull out the car.

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Christopher Simmins Newstead It couldn’t have happened without them. You’re only as good as the people around you. There were plenty of onlookers, but we were on our own. The local policeman was there and said, how are you going to fix this, Chris?

In pitch blackness was a family's car, five occupants stranded in an ocean of deep, fast flowing water, and they were trapped. The river was continuing to rise; it was terrifying to witness. The SES were pre-occupied with other rescues that night. A plan was devised to drive the fire truck in forward then position it on the downstream side of the stranded car to arrest any sideways movement. I had no idea of the position of the road or if it was still intact - it was a risk that we were prepared to take.

It needed to be done and we did it. without them.

The roaring water was overwhelming.

The headlights reflecting on the black water was surreal and disorientating.

Using my mirrors, I put my trust in my crew’s skills to guide me, and they trusted me behind the wheel.

We manoeuvred the truck along the downstream side of the car. Large logs, dead sheep and straw bales swept by.

The car and truck rocked violently.

I asked the bloke what he would have done if they hadn’t been rescued, to which he said, I was desperate and was going to grab the two little ones and try to wade to safety. It would have been certain death as they would have been swept into the entanglement of fencing and debris.

L-R: John Bell, Ricky Petersen and Christopher Simmins. Photo: Deanna Neville

It was a real community spirit.

Graeme Elshaug Newstead

Merv Ramsey Newstead

People were working like navvies.

Most people didn’t realize how bad the flood was. When I saw all the water at a neighbour’s back door I raced round and got all my chook food bags and we took all the sand from a neighbour’s kids’ sandpit. The main problem was at the top end of town, because the levee bank had been worn down by stock over the years. More sand arrived from Maldon and we had men, women and children all helping fill the sandbags. It was a real community spirit. And it wasn’t just local people. Two young guys who couldn’t get through came up and said, can we help? And just got in and started sand bagging.

There were two then the big one. There was a full river and there was a hell of a downpour around the catchment area.

I think they had four inches more in Castlemaine. And it came down real quick. Graeme and some of the others had been sandbagging some houses in the town and dropped off some sandbags here. I went up to see what the river was doing at the other end of the town. Grant was there in uniform, helping bag up. We used Graeme’s chook feed bags. Because the river was so high the authorities had to shut the floodgate, which meant the floodwater couldn’t get out of the town.

They put pumps on it and pumped the water back over the levee. I think there were three pumps there but the floodwater was rising real quick on the other side.

When something like that happens it’s amazing. I’ve lived here all my life and on that day it was great to see everyone come together. People just dropped everything to help out.

During another flood, McDonalds had cattle in the paddock near the Loddon Bridge. There were nine young pregnant heifers and a calf. The floods had washed them into the corner fence against the gate and we tried to go out in a boat to release the gate to let them out but the water was too strong. Then all of a sudden the gate gave way and they were all washed away down the river. Well you wouldn’t believe, he eventually found all the cows alive. They were found all over the joint. And the week-old calf turned up in a paddock in Baringhup.

All hands had to be there to get the sandbags up. There were places where the water was bubbling up out of the ground, and that had to be sandbagged. In some places we sandbagged three bags high.

With a group of people, some people carting, it’s amazing how quickly you could put down a line of sandbags. A heap of people were carting – they were like ants.

They were all ages. Everything was sopping wet, so the bags were heavy.

Actually it’s marvellous. I know that around here, if one person gets into trouble, 20 people turn up to help. It was really a team effort, and it saved the town.

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It was really a team effort, and it saved the town.

If one person gets into trouble, 20 people turn up to help.

Photo: Deanna Neville

Valuing their community support and other goodwill that exists.

Permanent Residents Loddon Holiday Park Baringhup

Jo Wedgwood Castlemaine District Community Health

Jo did a damn good job for us. She was appointed after the second flood and she came out with Rotary and St Vinnies and introduced us to them at the same time.

CDCH recognized there’d be an immediate need for assistance and asked me to do some investigation of the needs of the people who were out here. There were some very distressed and angry people; a lot of community help was there already, but I came in four or five weeks after the event, and there was a lot of confusion about what was going to happen next, about everything really, because there’d been four floods, so a lot of anxiety – is this going to happen again? Should I move?

Leave where I live? Very uncertain futures.

From there on she helped us with all the paperwork, what we could claim for and that sort of stuff, and finding out stuff we didn’t know. It made it a lot easier. The Red Cross came out through Jo. Salvos.

Baptist Church. Sent volunteers out here to help.

Jo helped form this Park Committee, trying to keep improvements about the Park, to talk to Robert about it. He’s the Park Owner. And anything to do with further flooding, we can do something about it and make plans. Jo helped us make up a schedule form for task requirements, such as setting up the rec room, cleaning the toilets, and other improvements for the Permanents. She organised plastic storage containers for all the Permanents to put their clothes in and leave. She also helped us set up the veggie gardens – the tomatoes are already flowering and the snowpeas are ready!

A word that comes to mind is reassurance, that future flooding wouldn’t affect us so radically; that we’d have some warnings at least, whereas before it came out of the blue.

There were mixed responses and a need to gain control of the situation, which is a big part of recovery, finding a sense of control back in their lives and going through the process of knowing what had happened and why.

Getting some reliable information about water, storage and flow processes, and looking more broadly at what had happened to others, getting a greater sense what a flood event was about - knowing this helped realize it wasn’t just happening to them. Having somebody coming out on a regular basis and looking at the broader issues in their lives helped. Also valuing their community support and other goodwill that exists to support them. Flood monies came from people all over the country, so there was a sense that people they’d never met have a concern for their situation and want to help.

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A word that comes to mind is reassurance.

A need to gain control.

L-R: Richard Bradley, Jo Wedgwood, Robert Wilson, Irene Lloyd, Tom Chivers and Jim Smith. Photo: Cathy McCallum

People can check on their way past.

Richard Bradley, Resident Loddon House Holiday Park, Baringhup

Robert Wilson, Owner Loddon House Holiday Park, Baringhup

I was a bit iffy about doing it, initially, and they all nominated me on doing the job, being the only one on the internet. Every day I go online and check the forecast for the predicted rainfall, and if it’s over 20mm and the dam over 95 percent full, I’ve got to put the sign up to the next level.

I think the sign came out of the recommendations from a Council consultation process, to have a sign to reassure Park and local residents of the flood danger level.

The problem with this area is that the Loddon River is dammed behind us. And it’s currently almost full, so the percentage of the dam increases the chances of a flood, whereas if it was only 85percent full there’d be no risk of flooding; maybe just breaking the bank.

As soon as I get the forecast, if it doesn’t look good, I have a chat with Robert and we confer, then I go and change the sign.

People going to work through here at least can check on their way past, whether they’d get back or not.

I’m the elected Flood Warden. I have to warn everybody and look after the sign.

Jo organised the sign and Richard operates it. Initially it was going to be at the Park entrance but we thought we should put it on the road so all the locals could utilize the sign. We went to see Dale at the Weir, over a period of a month, maybe four meetings, to make up the chart of flood warning information. Richard gets on the internet and produces the seven-day forecast and we utilize a graph to predict where the arrow on the sign should focus. The relevant thing is that the flood report information is on the noticeboard at the shop for everyone.

Richard does that every Tuesday, the seven-day forecast. He’s doing a good job, oh yes!

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Doing a good job, oh yes!

Photo: Cathy McCallum

The whole family helped. And there were neighbours that helped out, and a school came up and helped.

Ed Baker Baringhup

Shane Baker Baringhup

It’s very handy to have Shane around!

I don’t see much of him but he’s a very keen boy on his sheep.

I suppose Pa wasn’t in the best of health and he was worried about his stock.

He called me up and asked me to shift his stock for him as he was finding it a bit hard to get around in his little yellow ute. So I just went down and rounded the sheep up to get them up to higher ground. And I ended up getting bogged! By that stage Dad had come down wondering why I was sitting in that one spot, and pulled me out with Pa’s old tractor. I was trying to dig myself out when he came.

The last flood was one of the biggest we’ve had. There were two floods, and I wasn’t expecting the second one so quick as they had to open the weir and I couldn’t get in the paddock. Shane went down there but he got stuck. Peter went down and pulled him out. The old tractor hadn’t been started for months but it went first go.

I can see everything that’s going on from the kitchen window. It was pouring rain, and I watched the river rising. I thought it’d take the whole caravan park with they opened up the weir but it didn’t.

I thought, we’d better get those cattle out, and Shane tried to get around on the Maryborough road but the police stopped him and he couldn’t get back, so I went and moved them to higher ground.

The family’s always there to help me if I want it. All my fences went along the river, and Peter got different groups to come along and repair them. BlazeAid were there helping clear where the fence was, standing it up again, putting new fence in. They were terrific people, they were. I didn’t know how they were going to get all the rubbish away from the fence but gee they did a great job.

Everyone pulled their weight, it all helps one way or another. I couldn’t have done it myself, everyone helped.

It was an eye-opener for me. I’d never seen anything like it before and it was pretty stressful for Pa, worrying about the stock and losing fences.

He probably lost about five or six kilometres of fences. There wasn’t a lot Pa could really do ‘cos of his health but for moral support, he was really great.

The whole family helped. And there were neighbours that helped out, and a school came up from Melbourne to clean up and reinstate fences.

It’s always good to hear from Pa how things were done in the past, good to have that sort of support. Once Pa gets started he passes on a lot of information, and when he does he’s great.

To see what nature can throw at you, it was a good experience, not one that you’d want to see again. And now, taking over the farm, it’s good to have seen all that before.

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Everyone pulled their weight, it all helps one way or another. They were terrific people, they were.

Photo: Amber Baker

Very resourceful and very selfreliant.

A real resilient spirit.

Mike Fry Maryborough

Robert and Kerrie Jennings Baringhup

Shimmering river flats emerged as furious flood waters receded; crops ruined, fences tangled and covered in debris.

Trickling waters remain, logs shipwrecked in isolation, inquisitive stock searching for fresh fodder in the persistent mud whilst glistening small fish flash by, swimming urgently in retreating waters; the unlucky ones lie still.

I was working as a volunteer for BlazeAid up at Bridgewater, our main flood relief base for this part of the State.

In matching up teams with a job, it came up that I could go over to Baringhup, which is not far from where I live in Maryborough. So they gave me Robert and Kerrie’s name and number to try to help do some fencing.

Nature has flooded our riverine environment and renewal and new life comes from within her wild forces. Our acceptance struggles as we consider the picture before us. This flood is much bigger than any we have seen before and the damage to farm and fences is massive.

A neighbour has heard of an organisation BlazeAid, and their achievements after recent bushfires, and encouraged us to call.

Soon BlazeAid volunteers arrived with sleeves rolled up, good-natured and willing and one of them was Mike; a down-to-earth bloke, clever and worldly and with the unique quality that volunteers possess, that special something shared, that gives the ability to stand strong together to get the job done when the going gets tough.

Mike and the others cleared, repaired and replaced kilometres of mangled fence, swapping stories and steadily advancing along the Loddon River, making the task at last achievable. Like old friends they chatted over lunch and a cuppa, sharing news and working beside us, forming memories to keep.

With fresh new growth emerging the river is reviving and thanks to support from Mike and the BlazeAid volunteers, the farmers can begin to operate again alongside nature with greater understanding and resilience.

Our team went over there and we just started working, though you always had the feeling Robert was going to get it done whether you were there or not! They’re very resourceful and very self-reliant. The thing I liked about it the most was that we’d talk about everything else but the flooding! My background’s in prospecting and mineral exploration, quite different to the farming that the Jennings’ are in. We have different occupational backgrounds completely, so we had a lot of different things to talk about so I enjoyed it a lot, seeing the world from a different viewpoint for a bit, and to talk I think helped take our minds off why we were there.

I felt like I got a lot more out of being there than I put into it. It was a really enriching, good fun experience and I admire the pioneering good spirit that comes through. There’s a real resilient spirit that I greatly admire, and the Jennings’ have it in great abundance.

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A really enriching, good fun experience.

Photo: Kerrie Jennings

We worked in teams for days.

Everyone came out of the woodwork to help.

Many went above and beyond.

Rob, Gunilla, Zahra and Ella Forbes, Metcalfe

Prue Denner Castlemaine

It’s a bit rough when your property floods and you get a foot of water in the house, especially when it happens on the day your new baby is born!

How it rained on our big day.

But it would have been rougher if not for an extraordinary community clean-up effort: an army of up to 15 people each day for a week – family, locals, contacts and volunteers – all showed up to help.

Many went above and beyond. Poor Helen from two doors up broke her leg helping save our pony from the rising waters. Prue hosted us and organised helpers; Gun’s parents helped especially with the toddler and newborn. Brother-in-law Andrew worked hard to hose out mud. Bill from round the corner and his brother paid for a skip –the local tennis club pitched in too. Carmen from up the road bought groceries; Darren, a local, bought us a set of screwdrivers to replace one lost in the flood; Cathy Blaskett, another local, helped day after day. Dad and my brother paid for gravel for the driveway and Ray and Leah from Castlemaine gave us substantial financial assistance.

Thanks to them and many others, the place was transformed from mud and chaos to a welcoming order for Gun, Zahra and newborn Ella.

When I remarked on the spirit of helping your mates and neighbours to unofficial Metcalfe Mayor Ginge, he said, Metcalfe's always been known for it - I had thought it was diminishing, but people still come out when times get tough.

My son, Rob, rang from Bendigo Hospital, saying that his wife, Gunilla, had just given birth to little Ella! Rushing there for a granny cuddle, I then headed home to Metcalfe, with Zahra, Ella’s one year old sister.

But what a sight greeted us! Carrying Zahra, I waded through water surrounding Ella’s new home. The locals and SES were already there, removing gas cylinders. Waves of river water splashed up the walls of every room. I hid my face from Zahra; with stabbing heart and wet cheeks.

Neighbours had taken care of their horse, chooks, cat and dog. We left Zahra’s shed, garden and house, all floating in a lake.

The next day, at my place, Rob, Zahra, Gunnie’s parents and I awoke, having slept badly. I rang many, many people. Everyone came out of the woodwork to help, even Melbourne friends. It was incredible.

We worked in teams for days, rescuing baby clothes, opening pages of beautiful books and albums to dry in the sun, moving warped furniture. We emptied all buildings, filling a skip and trailers with muddy, ruined photos, art work and gifts. We did load after load of washing, sanded floors and, at my place, cooked and provided meals for all. Gunnie and daughters stayed in Melbourne for a week with her supportive parents. Rob operated on nervous energy and adrenalin, working and working for weeks. His aim was to get his three girls home again.

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The extraordinary community effort - an army showed up to help.

The spirit of helping your mates and neighbours.

L-R: Noel Pereira, Ella, Rob, Prue Denner, Gunilla and Zahra Forbes. Photo: Ashley Tracey

Kate Hamond Metcalfe

Margaret Naish Metcalfe

Brian and I bought in Metcalfe because we loved the location, but we had no idea just how wonderful the community was that came with it. It’s a real mix of multi-generational families and new people like us. We really value the knowledge, expertise and support of the local people. Marg is like a conduit between the two different groups – it’s not formal, but she is pivotal in the Metcalfe Community.

Well, I know there was miscommunication regarding the flooding. From what I’ve heard, a lot of people were told to go to the hall, but there was no way of checking that everyone got the message. I was still at home, at the farm, and it had been raining constantly, and the Snodgrass Creek on our property was roaring madly, so it made me wonder, gosh, what’s happening down further?

Local communication really improved through the setting up of phone trees, following the Redesdale fires. That’s when I met Marg. When the floods came we were contacted to evacuate to the Metcalfe Hall. Although we were in Melbourne at the time, the messages were very reassuring.

How wonderful the community is.

It’s a real mix of multigenerational families and new people like us.

Marg’s really the brains behind the development of the Metcalfe telephone directory. She thoroughly researched names and contact details, trawling through many information sources. My job was to simply computer format Marg’s work. We displayed the draft on the community noticeboard for a month, requesting further entries or changes. The response was great. Then we took the upgraded directory to the Metcalfe Tractor Pull meeting (where many members are long time residents) and they contributed alot of helpful information too. This has been a wonderful example of community cooperation, and a rewarding experience for me to meet more Metcalfians in the process.

You know the saying, you’ve got to live in a place for 30 years before you’re accepted as a local? Well, that’s not the case in Metcalfe, we feel really embraced.

I thought the idea of a community directory would help everybody know where everything is. With the closing of the shop there’s really no-where to put information – except under the Post Box! So I thought of making a directory of everything. We received some flood money through St Luke’s and the Metcalfe Community Association seemed to be the best group to get it going. I’m the Secretary.

I went through the White Pages and then local people with local knowledge added to it. Kate and I are going around to see the new people who have moved into the area.

Kate joined the Community Association last year and she offered to help. We had meetings around the table and planned what we were going to do. Kate’s typed up the draft. We helped together at the Tractor Pull running the stall, and had a few laughs! We get on well.

The information we were getting about the floods wasn’t centralized. We want to draw the local groups together because there’s no other place where that happens.

And I really think this will help make the information accessible.

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A wonderful example of community co-operation, and a rewarding experience. We had a few laughs!

Photo: Deanna Neville

Main Rd, Campbells Creek. Photo: Hans Jansen

In recent years following a decade of drought in Australia, severe flooding ravaged the eastern states, swamping cities, towns and communities. Mount Alexander Shire, located regionally in Central Victoria, was not spared. But when people work together and lend a hand to their family, friends, neighbours, even strangers, some of the trauma, stress and loss can be eased when the sense of community and resilience, a heartfelt duty, kicks in.