Weather has eased but flood concerns continue

WHILE the wet weather has largely subsided across the Greater Bendigo region, flood warnings remained in several areas in and around the municipality.

As of Wednesday morning, moderate flooding warnings were in place for the Bendigo and Bullock creeks, Goulburn River from Lake Eildon to Seymour, Goulburn to Murchison, and along the Campaspe River from Barnadown to Rochester.

Floodwaters were expected to move downstream over the rest of the week.

In Rochester, a town which saw a floodwater level of 115.65 metres in 2022, an evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon.

As of 11.43am on Wednesday, VicEmergency stated it was safe for residents to return to the town after floodwater levels peaked above the major flood level of 114.50 metres, at 114.62 metres, late Tuesday morning.

Floodwaters along the Campaspe at Rochester were expected to fall below the minor flood level of 113 metres on Wednesday morning.

As of 10am Wednesday, Lake Eildon was releasing 5000 megalitres per day, and those close by were asked to move to higher ground.

The Goulburn at Seymour peaked on Monday afternoon, just below the major flooding level of seven metres, and was at 5.75 metres on Tuesday night.

Moderate flooding was expected to peak at 10.5 metres in Murchison late Wednesday morning.

As of Wednesday morning, Emergency relief centres remained open at Seymour Sports and Aquatic Centre in Chittick Park on Pollard Street at Seymour, and the Echuca Basketball Stadium at 244 High Street South at Echuca.

Centres Bendigo and Yea that had been pressed into action earlier in the week had been closed.

From the start of the major weather event on Sunday 7 January to Wednesday 10 January, Victoria’s State Emergency Service responded to 132 requests for flood-related assistance in Bendigo, including 19 fallen trees, 18 damaged buildings, and 16 flood rescues.

The emergency service received 34 flood-related requests from people in Seymour, 26 from Rochester, and six from Echuca.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was to travel to Victoria Wednesday afternoon to speak with acting premier Ben Carroll “about ways in which we can assist.”