Ominous: Long-term Seymour resident Bill Solomon says conditions around the town are “pretty dire” and could get worse if it keeps raining. Photo: Murray Silby
Photo by
Murray Silby
Bill Solomon, who turns 80 this week, has lived in Seymour all his life.
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On Thursday, October 13, he feared the town would experience one of its worst floods in years as the wet weather set in.
Sadly, he was correct.
“I’ve seen a lot of flooding here over the years and this one doesn’t look real flash, I don’t think, because the river (Goulburn) and the creek (Whiteheads) are both in minor flood and if this rain keeps going, as it looks like it will today and tomorrow, I don’t like the look of it at all. It could be one of Seymour’s worst floods,” he said.
“I’ve just walked around the town and things are pretty dire, I think, personally.”
Mr Solomon believed a combination of factors contributed to the major flood.
“I think it’s different because our last big flood was (started) up the highlands. It came down the creek and flooded the top end of town and came right around the bottom and got us, but the Goulburn River at that time wasn’t in flood.
“(Lake) Eildon’s full, all the creeks are full, all the paddocks are filling up.
“Now that the river’s in flood on both sides, there’s nowhere for it to go. It’s going to bank up. It doesn’t look good.”
Rising: Goulburn Park in Seymour has been consumed by the rising Goulburn River. Photo: Bianca Hall
Photo by
Bianca Hall
Mr Solomon has lived in his Tristan St home in Seymour for almost six decades and feared his house might be inundated for the first time since he moved in.
“I’ve been living there for 57 years and we’ve never had water in the house,” he said.
“I’m hoping it doesn’t, of course, but if this weather keeps on going, I’m a bit concerned about it.
“I’ve been here a long time and I’ve seen a lot of floods, and I just don’t like this weather.
“If we get another three inches of rain, which we quite possibly could, today and tomorrow, and who knows what they’re getting up around Alexandra and those places. The (Eildon) weir will be over the top, they’ve had to let water out of there. It doesn’t look good.”
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