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Echuca community meeting about to start

An online community information session is being held for Echuca residents. 

It's due to start at 7pm.

You can stream it on the Campaspe Shire Council Facebook page

'The worse thing was seeing my sons toys float around'

Caitlin Smith returned to her Goornong property today to assess the damage and she says she felt numb.

"Early this morning I starting thinking about all the things I wish I had done," she says. 

She was in bed asleep when floodwaters quickly started rising around her property. 

"It came up so quick. Within 15 minutes it went from our backyard to coming through our doors," she says. 

"There was a river running straight past our bedroom window. I didn't realise it was coming through the rest of our house." 

With no time to prepare, she grabbed her six-month-old baby and whatever essentials she could before calling for help.

"I think the worse thing was seeing my sons toys float around," she says.  

A CFA truck was sent in to rescue them, something Caitlin says she's extremely grateful for. 

"People were out there in waist deep water, not knowing what else was in the water, putting their life on the line for us."  

She's only been in her new home for a year and a half but in that time she's lived through two floods.

"We were her for the 2022 floods. The water didn't make it into our house that year," she says.  

New estates are popping up all over the area and Caitlin says more needs to be done to ensure the proper infrastructure is in place to avoid the impacts of future floods.

Joseph lives in Yea and says he's questioning whether to sell

Reporting by Danielle Cahill

Owner of Yea River Cottage, Joseph Ettia, has been assessing his property for water damage following yesterday’s flood which was the second in 15 months.

“This was a big shock, it came in pretty quick this time.  Didn’t have time to move things around," he says.

‘“I just thought ‘not again, not again’.

"It’s just the stress of, I have got bookings and I might have to ring and cancel."

Joseph’s cottage is raised but he lives in a caravan at the back of the property next to the river when the cottage is hired out.

Yesterday all of his personal belongings, which are kept in the garage, were destroyed by water.

“I’d say this time, it’s caused more damage because my fence is leaning over, my fence is completely down on one side,” he says.

“And my garage, everything in the garage is all wet. Yesterday I saw in the garage, my desk, my fridge was floating."

A neighbour alerted Joseph that his property was flooding while he was at work.

The evacuation warning issued but Joseph chose not to leave.

“I felt like I had other things that I couldn’t get out and all my clothes all my personal things were inside," he says.

With the water quickly rising to about chest height, he says he was stranded on his deck but had a plan if things got worse.

"If I needed to, I would’ve left it all behind if it (the floodwaters) had got into the house – and just swam out."

In October 2022, when the last flood hit his Yea property, Joseph only had home insurance and no contents.

He now has both but he's questioning if he will stay at the property long-term.

"I mean if it happens again, I’d be devastated. I’m in the middle of thinking ‘should I live here? should I sell up’?”

A great day for a picnic

Floods weren't enough to deter Cleveland Tuckeryoung and Luke Phipps from soaking up some sunshine and enjoying a picnic at Rochester earlier today.  

"The water's not too bad. It's got a bit of a current to it," Cleveland says.

Cleveland, who's from Bendigo, says he's "trapped" at his mates house because of the floods.

The duo thought they'd try to make the most of a sunny day. 

"If life gives you lemons, you make lemonade," Luke says. 

They've also been lending a hand to others in need in the community. 

"We've been trying to give everyone a hand doing the sandbags and everything," Luke says. 

How things are looking
  • All emergency warnings have been lifted.
  • It is safe to return to Seymour with the emergency warning to evacuate lifted.
  • It is safe to return to Yea with the emergency warning to evacuate lifted but there are a few streets you should avoid with water over roads. 
  • Rochester has been downgraded to a watch and act, but an evacuation warning remains current and it is still not safe to return.
  • There is a major flood warning for the Goulburn River from Seymour to Murchison. Moderate flooding is likely at Murchison this afternoon with a peak just below major levels Wednesday morning. 
  • There is a moderate flood warning for the Goulburn River between Murchison and Shepparton with flooding possible at Shepparton overnight. 
  • A moderate flood warning is in place for the Goulburn River between Lake Eildon and Seymour
  • There's a moderate flood warning for Bendigo and Bullock Creeks.
  • A moderate flood warning remains for the Campaspe River downstream of Rochester and from Barnadown to Rochester.
  • And minor flood warnings remain for other parts of the state. 
ABC meteorologist Tom Saunders takes a closer look at weather

Here's the latest from ABC meteorologist Tom Saunders. 

Safe to return to Yea

It is now safe to return to low lying parts of Yea and the emergency warning to evacuate has been lifted. 

You should still avoid Webster street between Craigie and Snodgrass streets as well as Craigie street west of Webster street.

There is still water over the road in those areas. 

Safe to return to Seymour

The emergency warning to evacuate low lying parts of Seymour has been lifted and it is safe to return.

A community meeting will be held at 4pm tomorrow at the Seymour Recovery Hub .

The address is 4 Guild Street, Seymour. 

Be aware that dangerous hazards including floodwater, mud, debris, damaged roads and fallen trees may still be present around the area. 

Some pictures from Rochester

ABC reporter Mike Lorigan has been in Rochester where he says floodwaters are receding.