Standing strong: Benalla Gardens bandstand surrounded by flood waters.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Although there had been warnings for weeks, when the call to evacuate Benalla came through at 3.45am on Friday, October 14 , it still came as a surprise to some.
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Water had been rising since Wednesday, but at 5.15pm that day the water was still a couple of metres under the bridge on Ackerly Ave in Benalla, known locally as the ‘Stocky’.
By 2.30pm the next day the Hume Fwy southbound had been closed between Avenel and Benalla, and by 4.11pm the ‘Stocky’ was under water.
A moderate flood warning had been issued for Benalla by 6pm, which was elevated to ‘Watch and Act — Move to higher ground’, for most of the rural city about 8.45pm.
Then, at 3.45am Friday morning, the text arrived, declaring: “Emergency. Emergency. EVACUATE NOW for FLOODING at Benalla ...”
Evacuation centres were set up at BPACC and Benalla P-12 College’s Faithful St campus.
Watercourse: Benalla Gardens had become a watercourse by Friday.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Early the next morning, water covered the showgrounds and gardens, submerged low-lying streets and was lapping at the back of businesses on Bridge St.
By Sunday though, the flood waters had begun receding, and the community had started the clean-up.
A minor flood warning remained in place for the Broken River to Benalla, with the level falling, and the advice suggesting it would continue to fall.
What had been Benalla’s problem moved on downstream to Orrvale and Shepparton.
Over on the Castle Creek at Euroa, a minor flood warning remained in place on Sunday after moderate flooding eased as those flood waters moved downstream to Kialla West, which was experiencing flooding from Saturday.
Of course it is not just the centres who experience the flooding, it is also the rural locations and farms in between.
Flooding rains: Cattle huddle together to shelter from the rain and rising flood waters. Some property owners have offered paddocks on higher ground for displaced stock and the Shepparton saleyards were also opened up to take in rescued stock.
Photo by
Murray Silby
On Saturday, the Greater Shepparton City Council opened up the city’s saleyards for people to take rescued livestock.
The option was made available for owners, who had no other option, and feed was made available.
For others, the kindness of strangers was on offer with property owners posting messages on social media, such as Facebook, making their higher ground available for owners of stock displaced by flood waters in their usual location.
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