River by name

By Kath Gannaway
RIVER Street in Healesville went from a puddle to a one-metre deep river in under three hours as an overnight deluge put much of the Yarra Valley under water on Sunday.
In the worst floods for more than 15 years, the Watts River carrying the overflow of Maroondah Dam and run-off from the sustained downpour, broke its banks along almost its entire length from Donnelly’s Weir to the Yarra River.
In Yarra Glen the Yarra River broke its banks, flooding the recreation reserve and the nearby racecourse which was more than a metre underwater in places.
Healesville’s State Emergency Service (SES) deputy controller Stephen Collins said they got the first of around 60 calls for help at 4.15am and were doorknocking residents of River Street and Donnelly’s Weir Road as day broke.
“We knew it was coming but it rose very quickly,” he said.
“A lot of people were still in bed asleep but we wanted to let them know what was happening and what number to call if they needed help,” Mr Collins said.
Mr Collins said while the situation was not life-threatening his team, assisted later in the day by SES units from Croydon, Nunawading, St Kilda and Malvern, worked until around 10pm to check on people cut off by the floodwaters, help landowners relocate livestock and in once case do a medical prescription run.
“We had a call from one resident who has MS who lives along the Watts who was worried he would not be able to get out to get medication,” Mr Collins said.
Liz Wilkinson started the day wading through water up to her armpits to save a flock of black-faced sheep which were trapped in rising waters between Healesville racecourse and their home paddock.
“The only way we could get them to safety was to cut the fence and swim them over to a pile of mulch and dirt which was like a little island.
“The smaller ones couldn’t keep their head above the water so Ben (husband) and I had a sheep under each arm and we managed to get them out of the water,” she said.
Nunawading SES came to their rescue later in the day, taking Ms Wilkinson out by boat to help re-locate the animals to higher ground.
SES Regional Officer Alan Barnard and local member Dale Dikker did a fly-over of the valley later in the day, particularly to check on outlying properties.
“The final outcome is that there was very minor damage, and our crews were able to visit all the people who were impacted to make sure it was all good and they had help if they needed it.”
“In the end the weather turned in our favour, so we were happy to get on top of the task.”
Mr Barnard praised the job done by the Healesville and other SES units and, the community.
“A few people decided to drive through the flood waters, and I cannot stress how foolish that is, but in the main everyone did all the right things.