Neighbourly support strong following Creswick floods

A SUPERCELL storm, and following days of heavy rain, hid Creswick and surrounds under high flood waters last week.

Creswick resident Fiona Watson lives at the southern entrance of the town and said she had “never experienced rain” like it before, seeing cars and community spaces including Hammon Park Oval fully submerged.

“In 2011, this happened before, but this time it was very different because the creeks were all clear of debris. It was just a natural phenomenon where nothing was going to stop the water,” she said.

“The destruction was extraordinary. Three or four trees came down by our house, but the wind was so strong my husband couldn’t hear anything.”

Returning from Ballarat as the storm was beginning, Ms Watson drove past the RACV Goldfields Resort and saw so much hail on the golf course that is “looked like thick snow.”

“Not only was the hail big, it didn’t melt away. It was still there the next day.”

Once the storm had stopped, she walked down to photograph the floodwaters in the centre of Creswick, where fellow community members were “astounded,” but doing all they could to support one another.

“The CFA and SES came from all over the place; Gisbourne, Hepburn and Bacchus Marsh. People just rallied around,” Ms Watson said.

“Those who can help, including businesses, have helped their friends and neighbours. The local pizza place 84 on Albert closed so that they could just cook meals for the SES and volunteers who’d helped.

“There are people who had to evacuate their homes, and people have been helping them, taking them in. There’s a lovely sense of community. Now I know why I moved to Creswick.”