General News
2 January, 2024
Day of floods - how people waded through rising waters
By CHRIS EARL WATER spewed from the raging Nardoo Creek running through Wedderburn as more than 175mm of rain was dumped on the town in seven hours. Residents were forced to wade through waist-deep water as the flood surged through their homes. Some...
By CHRIS EARL
WATER spewed from the raging Nardoo Creek running through Wedderburn as more than 175mm of rain was dumped on the town in seven hours.
Residents were forced to wade through waist-deep water as the flood surged through their homes.
Some were rescued by emergency services before evacuation warnings were issued for the town on Christmas Day.
The surge of water ripped out gates and fences on the outskirts of town and obliterated outdoor entertainment areas of homes backing onto the creek.
Slabs of bitumen were lifted, carried towards the creek. The volume of water too great and strong to pass through culverts in Godfrey Street, going over the top and taking out more bitumen and gravel towards the Korong Creek.
State Emergency Service units from Bendigo. Marong and Castlemaine arrived in Wedderburn as more than a dozen requests for help were received. SES volunteers were part of two rescues in the town.
Homes between Reef Street and Chapel Street copped the brunt of flood damage,
Laurie, Ros and Danny Witham had been set for a third Christmas in their Chapel Street home. Boundary fences were knocked over and 7cm of water went through the house.
“It was the only day of the year I was going to sleep in,” said Laurie as he started making a list of damage ready for insurance assessors.
Wife Ros said: “We were asleep (during the night) and didn’t notice anything until we woke. It was a lake outside.”
“No sandbags were going to help us.”
Ros, who was back home after surgery last week, waded out the family home on tip-toes to avoid water on stomach stitches.
Next door neighbour Sandra Reynolds was among those rescued during the flood emergency.
Sandra, who lives with throat cancer, had taken precautions before going to bed on Christmas Eve, putting her car on a ramp that she thought would be above any rising water.
“The water come in the back (yard) first and then came pouring into the house,” she said
“Then emergency service people came to get me out. They had to carry me up the hill.”
Sandra’s plans for Christmas Day were scuttled by the floods. Sons Darren and John eventually made it to Wedderburn from Bendigo and were helping their mother in the Boxing Day cleanup. “The local people have been great with their help for mum,” Darren said.
Sandra joined the Withams for Christmas night with friends Bruce and Michelle Hargreaves at Kurracaburn, the town’s former hospital.
“I live on my own. It was scary but there are friends who have your back,” Sandra said after staying at Kurracaburn on Christmas night.
Laurie said: “We just took our food and drink to the Hargreaves and had a good day there and made the best of it.”
Rising waters had cut Wedderburn but by mid-morning with the Calder Highway closed in both directions until late afternoon.
Not all vehicles made it through floodwaters with success. A handful of cars were either stuck mid-way or lost power within metres of clearing the water at Glenalbyn and north of Wedderburn.
Loddon Mayor and Wedderburn Ward councillor Gavan Holt said: “Wedderburn was right where all the rain fell - seven inches in seven hours. And the timing of Christmas Day was far from helpful.” Cr Holt said he was thankful people in the town were safe after the deluge.
Flooding of homes was also reported in Korong Vale on Christmas Day and trees battered by storms continue to fall across roads.