Amy Hume
MANY Wandong shopkeepers and residents are still trying to salvage what is left of their homes and businesses after storms and flooding swept the town on Saturday.
Wandong’s chemist, newsagent’s and post office, pub and service station bore the brunt of the floods and suffered extensive damage.
Wandong Newsagency owners Veronica Osborne and Uwe Heesch said the store opened at 6am that morning and noticed water coming in through the wall of the general store and petrol station next door at about 9am.
“There was a lady trying to get to us as it was happening and she got caught in the water,” Ms Osborne said.
“She thought she could get in to get her Tatts Lotto ticket but it came up that quickly.”
Ms Osborne said the store lost power and water and had damage to stock, fittings, carpets, Tatts Lotto machines and computers.
“The water was knee-deep and higher out the back,” she said.
“The whole strip was a sea of water. We couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
Ms Osborne and Mr Heesch have fought to save the store on two other separate occasions but say this is the worst they have seen.
“Locals that have been living here for years said this is the worst flooding they have seen here,” Ms Osborne said.
The heart of the town, Magpie and Stump Hotel, was also hit hard.
Garry Bennett has owned the pub for more than eight years and couldn’t believe the extent of the damage.
Carpets were ripped up, computers and other goods were lost to the floods.
He said he was watching the rear of the pub when the water came through the front.
“The bar flooded and in matter of minutes and I was walking through water that was ankle deep,” he said.
“There was about two feet of water through the place.
“The sewage was up through the pipes, there’s no electricity and most of the carpets were taken up.
“It took an hour and a half for the water to recede.”
Mr Bennett said it was humbling to see the locals pull together and help where they could with the clean-up and sand-bagging.
“People have been helping – they’ve been fantastic,” he said.
“Locals with their kids have even jumped in to help.”
Mr Bennett’s daughter, Sarah, recently began renovations on a house behind the pub and lost everything in the floods, but was one of the many to assist with sandbagging the stores to salvage what they could.
District SES and CFA workers began sandbagging around the hotel and shops that back onto the creek at 10am in preparation for they thought would be a second blow.
Rains of up to 100mm were expected to hit the region at about 6pm but, to the relief of the town, never eventuated.
Kilmore SES and Wandong CFA member for 28 years, John Simpson, was just one of those who assisted with the clean-up and sandbagging.
“The force of the water was strong,” he said. “It pushed a few cars down toward the shops.
“I’ve never seen so much water go through at such a force. This is the worst flooding I have seen in Wandong.
“I’ve seen water come up from the creek before but they copped a double whammy because it came from the roads as well.
“There were traffic problems and rocks and water over the road. We didn’t leave Wandong all day.”
Emergency service workers and police were doing all they could to block dangerous roads and clear them of debris and rocks brought through by the flood waters.
South Ward Cr Sue Marstaellar has been the driving force behind many meetings with authorities regarding Wandong flood issues.
She said the floods that swept Wandong on Saturday were “devastating.”
“For years and years we’ve been trying to get onto Goulburn Broken Catchment to do something about the creek but they say they haven’t got the funding,” she said.
“It’s certainly not the first time it’s flooded.”
She said council had also been in discussions with VicRoads about drainage and road flooding through Wandong’s main street but nothing has yet eventuated.
“We will continue to lobby to get this situation sorted,” Cr Marstaellar said.
Cr Marstaellar said the community spirit was strong and people worked well together to assist with the clean up.
“People pulled together quickly and easily,” she said.
“An amazing number of people were helping to sort through things and assisting with the clean up. They need to be congratulated.”
Cr Marstaellar named LB Davern Reserve, Bonny View Court and Watson Street as those among the worst areas affected.
She said builders and engineers have been out to assess the safety of buildings and structures affected.
As the clean-up continues Wandong businesses affected by the floods remain uncertain as to when they will reopen.
Wandong Newsagency and Post Office has not been trading for days but assures its customers that the mail run will continue.
