The waiting game: Shepparton’s Pizza Place manager Foad Algazali (left) and owner Mohamed Fatelawi are one of a few business owners in the Shepparton CBD that have kept their business open during the floods.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
As residents of Shepparton woke to flooding in parts of the city on Sunday, October 16, a handful of business owners in the city’s central business district rushed to check on the state of their shops and places of work.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
One of those people was Mohamed Fatelawi, owner of Pizza Place on High St, one of the few businesses that remained trading today.
Ready: Sandbags yet to be laid in front of a grocery store on Maude St, Shepparton.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
More than 7950 properties across Shepparton, Kialla, Mooroopna and Murchison have been flooded and 6000 are without power on the west side of the river as the Goulburn rose to 11.84m overnight to Sunday.
With floodwaters consuming Victoria Park Lake and sections of Wyndham St, it remains unclear as to far how into Shepparton’s CBD the floodwaters are expected to reach.
Mr Fatelawi said he and his workers had a plan in place should floodwaters reach the CBD, but did not know what to expect in the coming days.
Prepared: Sandbags at O'Dea’s Saddlery on High St, Shepparton.
Photo by
James Kleeman
“We’re just taking it day by day,” Mr Fatelawi said.
"It’s the first time we’ve ever experienced something like this, we're not sure how far the water is going to get.
"We've sort of got a plan on what to do, we're not sure if it's going to work, but we can only try."
Mr Fatelawi said the business had provided support for volunteers over the weekend, and that by staying open, he hoped to provide an option for displaced people or anyone moving through the city.
Barrier built: Sandbags at a shop front on High St, Shepparton.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“So far business has been okay, we’re open because we want to give people an option to eat out, come pick up and enjoy food during these times.
“We delivered a few pizzas to the CFA on Numurkah Rd, we’ll be open as long as we can, we’re normally open from 11am until 11pm, but depending on where the water gets, if we have to close, we have to close.”
Around the corner on Shepparton’s Maude St, Joe and Helen Sofra were laying the first sand bags at the doors of their business, Collins Booksellers.
But with the flood threat looming larger at home, Mrs Sofra said she was unsure of when the business would be able to reopen next week.
Preparing for water: Joe and Helen Sofra sandbagging their business, Collins Booksellers on Maude St.
“We’re usually not open on a Sunday but we’re unsure of what we’re going to do tomorrow,” Mrs Sofra said.
“Our house is under threat so if we can’t get out we won’t be able to open, but we’ll put it out on Facebook and on our socials what we’re doing.
“We’ll try to reopen as soon as possible.”
The Sofras have owned the bookstore for 15 years, and have lived in Shepparton for far longer, but were unsure how their business would be affected.
Sandbags: Out the front of Collins Booksellers in Shepparton.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“We weren’t here for the last flood, but all the maps say it didn’t get this far, so we’re hopeful of that,” Mrs Sofra said.
“But when your stock is made of paper, for peace of mind you want to make sure you’ve done everything you can.”
Mr Sofra detailed he was fearful for damage not as such by the flooding, but for cars and boats that could cause waves and further damage to his store and stock.
He was also concerned about how his insurance company would cover potential damages and how far that cover would extend.
All set: A grocery store on Maude St with sandbags out the front.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“Even if the water gets on to the street, it’s the vehicles coming by that push the water into the shop, and that puts us in a different situation,” Mr Sofra said.
“It’s got to be covered by flood, and 90 per cent of insurance companies at the present moment have dropped Shepparton for business insurance for flood cover.
“They’re looking at Shepparton and seeing it as too high a risk.”
To follow what’s happening with the floods in the area head to the Shepparton News blog below for live updates.
