Inundated: River Haven Caravan Park in Murchison was hit hard by the flooding.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Much of the Murchison township was saved from floodwater, thanks to a sandbag levee bank that was erected up the middle of the main street.
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Flood water from the Goulburn River hit the western side of the town early on Friday October 14.
Riven Haven Caravan Park - located in a low-lying area next to the Goulburn - was among the first places to have flood water through it.
From 7.30am, water started flowing through the park, flooding cabins and caravans with hard annexes attached.
Owner Lesley McLennan told the News she alerted residents in the morning, with many having to walk through the floodwater surrounding their cabins or vans.
Displaced: Many residents of River Haven Caravan Park in Murchison have had to find alternative accommodation.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Around 1pm an evacuate now order was issued for the town, and everyone at the caravan park was told to move, with the whole park later inundated with water.
If they had nowhere else to go, residents were advised to evacuate to the relief centre at the McIntosh Centre at the Shepparton Showgrounds.
The Australian Defence Force was sent in to help fill sandbags and Murchison SES controller Stephen Addison said he had "never seen the river so high" in his 25 years in the town.
Major flooding was still occurring at Murchison on Sunday, with the river peaking around 12.03 metres at the town on Saturday, which was significantly higher than the May 1974 flood of 11.33m, and above the 11.92m one-in-100-year flood level.
Mr Addison said a levee bank of sandbags was built up the middle of Stevenson St in front of the town’s shops.
Water that was reaching the south part of the levee was being pumped back over the levee and into the river.
The south-east end of Stevenson St and the same end of Watson St saw some flooding, while Willoughby St was also among those under water.
A levee was also been built along the south end of Robinson St because a depression at the south end of the street is prone to flooding.
Murchison resident Mikey McAdam said the Stephenson St levee bank was still holding on Sunday morning as the river levels were receding.
“The boys have done a great job to keep it out,” she said.
While water did not go over the top of the bridge at the town, the road was closed on Saturday because of damage to the road pavement on the eastern entrance to the bridge.
Power in the town went put early on Sunday morning, and phone and internet coverage was also minimal for much of the day.
Major flood: Murchison Bridge across the Goulburn River before an evacuation warning was issued for the town.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Murchison Floods: A resident evacuating their belongings.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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