Live blog, October 24: Watch and Act for downstream of Shepparton, Barmah levee gives way

A reminder: the most recent news updates are at the top of this blog. As you scroll down, you’ll be travelling backwards in time.

Ensure you stay across alerts on the Vic Emergency app, the Victoria SES website or calling 132 500 if you urgently need assistance. Call 000 in an emergency and remember to never drive through or enter floodwaters.

If you need to contact us, please email editor@sheppnews.com.au or call (03) 5831 2312.

UPDATE, 4pm: Wrapping up the blog

We’re finishing up the News’ blog for the day, and for the foreseeable future. Our coverage of the floods will continue, and we’ll still cover important information you need to know from across the region and we will push that out over social media, as well as on sheppnews.com.au.

Should the Goulburn Valley face more threat of flooding, we will reboot the blog, but for all our sakes we hope that’s not required.

The response to the blog has been outstanding — if the blog has been useful to you during these past few weeks, and if you’re able to, we’d love for you to subscribe and support the work we do, both during disasters like the floods and COVID lockdowns, as well as during elections, and covering day-to-day life.

Your support lets us support you in times of need.

UPDATE, 3.30pm: Update from incident control centre, Barmah levee gives way

Shepparton incident control centre controller Ray Jasper has given an update on across the region, with news from Barmah that while the water has peaked lower than expected, the town’s levee has given way.

Mr Jasper said more than 50 properties were now at risk.

“Crews are helping the community property protection with 55 properties inundated. The good news is the river is about the 7.4m mark, which is lower than the expected 7.6m which is slightly lower than predicted but it’s been at that height for 36 hours,” Mr Jasper said.

Across the region, he said water levels were largely beginning to decrease, meaning most of the region was only facing minor flooding.

Mr Jasper said authorities have pumped about 120cm of water out of areas of Mooroopna and we’re aiming for more.

He said four pumps were going “flat out” day and night to try and pump water out of streets.

Impact assessment teams in Shepparton and Mooroopna had assessed more properties today, with 500 homes above floorboard inundation across the whole region.

Mr Jasper said more storms were expected over coming days, and he urged people to “be vigilant” and careful on the road.

"Please be careful on the roads, we’re down to 95 road closures today but assessment hasn’t been done on the surface of most roads in regards to potholes, we’ve only done assessment on bridges,“ he said.

UPDATE, 3pm: Birrell calls for more wide-spread support

People are falling through the cracks in Federal and Victorian government assistance packages, according to Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell, who has urged governments to do more.

Mr Birrell said while the flood emergency is still unfolding, there are gaps in approvals for critical support payments with some affected local government areas not able to access assistance.

“Moira Shire, which has seen homes and properties inundated particularly around Kaarimba and Barmah is still not included in the local government areas able to access Emergency Relieve Payments from the Commonwealth,” Mr Birrell said.

UPDATE, 2.15pm: Rivers running backwards

Country News has had a chat to Goulburn-Murray Water emergency controller Sam Green said about rivers running backwards last week, which is something which is still boggling the mind.

Read what he had to say about the Murray flowing the wrong way here.

UPDATE, 1.50pm: Moderate flood watch for Goulburn, Murchison information session

The Goulburn River downstream of Shepparton has been issued a Watch and Act notice by Vic Emergency, with warnings rapid river and creek rises are possible overnight and into Tuesday.

Moderate flooding is continuing at Seymour and McCoy’s bridge.

It’s still listed as not safe to to return to Bunbartha and Kaarimba.

Meanwhile, Greater Shepparton City Council and representatives from emergency services will be conducting another community information update tonight, this one in Murchison.

It will be held at the Murch community centre in Watston St from 6pm. The meeting will not be livestreamed.

UPDATE, 12.50pm: Updates from Seymour

Reporter Bianca Hall has a few stories from Seymour as the town faces a long clean-up from devastating floods last week.

Check them out below — I’m ducking out for some lunch.

UPDATE, 12.30pm: Wheelie good rescue

Heather Hurst says she would not recommend the wheelbarrow as a regular means of rescue, but in her case, it was effective.

“No, I wouldn’t advise it. The photo shows you,” she told the News.

As Shepparton’s flood waters rose around her Nicholls Ave flat on the morning of Sunday, October 16, Miss Hurst’s landlord and neighbour, Rob Gardam, knew he had to help her evacuate.

Read the full story here.

We’ve also got full details on that Shepparton East crash, which can be found below.

UPDATE, 12.08pm: Air ambulance dispatched to Shepparton East

Ambulance Victoria has said several patients are being assessed on the scene at Shepparton East.

“At this stage, one person is being taken to Goulburn Valley Health - condition and injuries unknown,” they said.

“An air ambulance helicopter has also been dispatched.”

UPDATE, 11.50am: Midland Hwy blocked at Orrvale Rd

Anna McGuinness is on the scene of the crash at the Midland Hwy and said there is a detour in place from Orrvale Rd.

We haven’t seen the other side of the detour but it would likely be to Central Ave.

UPDATE, 11.35am: More flooding expected in Rochester

A flood meeting is scheduled for 6pm tonight at the Rochester Regional Racing Reserve, with renewed river rises expected in the middle of this week.

The Campaspe River at Rochester was at 110.66m AHD on Monday morning, below minor flood level, and residents have been urged to renew emergency plans and be prepared to leave.

UPDATE, 11.30am: Car crash at Shepparton East, pictures from Wunghnu

One person is believed to be trapped in a vehicle following an accident on the Midland Hwy at Shepparton East.

We’ll have more for you on that one shortly.

Meanwhile, Megan Fisher is on her way into Shepparton and sent through these snaps of Nine Mile Creek at Wunghnu, which is just below the bridge level.

UPDATE, 10.45am: Waters high at Nathalia, moderate flood warning for Seven Creeks

A moderate flood warning has been issued for the Seven Creeks downstream of Euroa.

The Vic Emergency app said moderate flooding was occurring at Kialla West, with seven creeks at 5.24m and slowly rising.

It’s likely to remain above moderate flood levels.

In Nathalia, the water is creeping towards the Nathalia Showgrounds and the football oval, but photographer Megan Fisher said there it was quiet in the region.

She said it was very quiet, and she didn’t see any sandbagging at businesses or homes.

The Nathalia levee is up, but it’s only a precaution, with water slowly rising at the minute.

UPDATE, 9.45am: Roads still closed across the region

Most of Barmah-Shepparton Rd is closed, while plenty of roads between Nathalia and the Goulburn River are also shut to traffic.

Katamatite-Nathalia Rd is closed between Numurkah and Katamatite, while most roads around Naring are also shut.

McCoys Bridge, while not under water itself, is also shut due to the amount of roads closed north of the bridge.

Check the VicTraffic website for the exact road closures.

UPDATE, 9.25am: Rain and river height updates

Shepparton recorded 8.8mm of rain from midnight to 9am on Monday, across a sodden catchment area, but authorities don’t expect that to cause floodwaters to rise significantly.

Minor flooding is being recorded along the Broken Ck at Walshs Bridge (2.9m) and Nathalia (1.8m), while McCoys Bridge is now at a minor flood level of 9.95m.

The Goulburn River at Shepparton is sitting at 10.5m, just below moderate flood level.

The Murray River at Echuca is listed on the Bureau of Meterology website at 94.8m.

UPDATE, 9am: Waters high near Numurkah, Nathalia, still not safe to return to Bunbartha

Photographer Megan Fisher has been on the road this morning north of Shepparton, with the Broken Creek chock-a-block but not quite spilling over its banks yet.

James Kleeman has written up information from last night’s Mooroopna information forum which you can find below.

Meanwhile, for those coming into Shepparton, there was a crash at the intersection of Guthrie St and the Goulburn Valley Hwy.

Emergency services are saying it’s still not safe to return to Bunbartha and Kaarimba, while major flooding is still impacting Barmah.

No ambulances were on scene but traffic was banked back to past Kialla Lakes Dve inbound, so if you’re travelling in the next half an hour, consider heading up Archer St.