Looking back on the ‘big wet’

EXACTLY one year ago Warracknabeal and surrounding towns were inundated with water or staving it off with sandbags and levee banks as record rains poured and floodwaters surged down Yarriambiack Creek from the Wimmera River and over it’s banks.
Many towns in the district faced flooding, which saw communities band together to help and support their friends, family and neighbours.
Flooded towns included Rupanyup, where Police Senior Constable Darryl Anderson said there was “water everywhere” and shops were sandbagged and some had water pumped from the premises.
Yarriambiack Shire Mayor Kylie Zanker said Rupanyup was the first town in the shire to be hit by the floods and as such bore the brunt of the floods.
“They were hit the hardest and suffered the most damage, both emotionally and economically with the loss of houses and property,” she said.
“But our communities are so resilient, though some chose to move away and not return to the area, overall our communities are so strong.”
Downstream, Beulah and Brim residents worked tirelessly in order to protect their homes and businesses from being inundated with water.
On January 15 Warracknabeal Weir was cut in an effort to ensure surging waters did not inundate the township.
A six-metre wide channel was dug through the road and around the weir, lowering the creek levels before the peak arrived.
To avoid this happening again, Yarriambiack Shire Council decided to place two box culverts at the weir to assist flows and avoid flooding.
“We are most definitely more prepared and we have a heads up for next time anything happens. Though hopefully it was only a one in 100 year flood,” Mayor Zanker said.
“We have so much more in place now including increased knowledge, better measuring implements, upgraded and easier controllable weir gates, changes to the storm water system and the ability to control water better,” she said.
The innovation of business owner and dubbed hero Richard Wilken, which saved many homes from further damage, did not go unnoticed by the grateful community.
Mr Wilken proposed to build a six kilometre earth levee along the creek, 1.6 kilometres of which is still standing.
Works started on January 17 and finished two days later, just before the peak arrived at 10.45am, January 19.
Mr Wilken said it proved a point about what can be achieved when residents’ have the ability to use their own knowledge and commonsense is allowed to prevail.
Police soon issued a warning after the incident, telling affected community members to avoid altering levee banks or interfere with natural watercourses.
Flood waters also forced multiple road closures in the district including some major highways.
With confusion running rampant Yarriambiack Shire Council hosted a community meeting about the creek at the Town Hall, which about 1000 people attended.
The iconic Rusty Nail Restaurant felt the full force of the floods, the worst affected premises as it was inundated for some time despite hours of preparation by it’s owners.
Mayor Zanker said it was brilliant to see the community band together and show such community spirit and resilience.
“One of the most memorable things I saw during the floods was an 85 year old man, working and sandbagging next to a 15 year old boy. It still brings a tear to my eye to think of it,” she said.
“It was the most beautiful thing to see and it was a long haul for the community, but they made it through.”
With everyone pitching in and help coming from all angles for the preparations, and later recuperation, communities around the district proved what community spirit can achieve and they held their heads high and proud after making it through such trying times together.
“It’s good to see the creek full of water and skiers going mad,” Mayor Zanker said.