At 3.45am on Friday, October 14, residents of Benalla received a text message. It read “evacuate now”.
This flood was expected. The Victorian State Emergency Service had been preparing for weeks.
It issued flood advice, explained where to find local flood guides and asked communities across Victoria to prepare for the worst.
Benalla, like many other parts of Victoria, held a flood preparedness meeting.
When it hit on Thursday evening, it happened quicker than many expected.
However, water had been rising slowly since Wednesday, October 12.
On Wednesday evening the water was still a couple of metres under the bridge on Ackerly Ave, Benalla, known locally as the “Stocky”.
By the next morning it was less than a metre below.
On October 13, sand was made available for filling sandbags at several areas across Benalla.
Just before 1pm a Flash Flood Watch and Act warning for Warrenbayne, Baddaginnie, Swanpool and Lima was issued.
While Lake Benalla had started to break its banks, the town was mainly above water.
About 2.30pm, news arrived that the Hume Fwy southbound had been closed between Avenel and Benalla.
By 4.11pm the “Stocky”, the gauge many in town use to signify a flooding event, was under water.
The lakeside walking track had been closed and those in low-lying areas were sandbagging their properties.
By 6pm a moderate flood warning was in place.
During the next nine to 10 hours things would get much worse.
About 8.45pm the flood warning was elevated to a “Watch and Act — Move to higher ground”, for most of the rural city.
With heavy rain forecast in Benalla, and upstream, what happened next was inevitable.
Every lake, dam, river, creek and stream in Victoria’s north-east was full. The ground was soaked.
There was nowhere for the water to go.
The next few hours saw the town cut in half by rising waters.
Then, at 3.45am Friday morning, the text arrived.
It read, “Emergency. Emergency. EVACUATE NOW for FLOODING at Benalla...”
“If you are located in the surroundings of Lake Benalla it is recommended you evacuate immediately.”
Evacuation centres were set up at BPACC and Benalla P-12 College’s Faithful St campus.
By 5am in the morning, water had covered the showgrounds and gardens, submerged low-lying streets and was lapping at the back of businesses on Bridge St.
Overnight warnings were that river levels would reach 3.7m.
By 10.30am on Friday, October 14, that forecast had risen to 4.5m.
A few hours later it would reach its peak.
By Saturday floodwaters were beginning to recede as residents assessed the damage.
Benalla Rural City Council worked to fill the array of potholes that appeared on local roads.
Council chief executive officer Dom Testoni said the current fixes were temporary, in order to make the road network as safe as possible.
He said permanent fixes would be done in due course.
Benalla Mayor Bernie Hearn said as floodwaters in Benalla Rural City slowly receded, council continued to work closely with emergency service providers to keep the community safe and to protect infrastructure.
“On behalf of the council I thank them all for their efforts,” Cr Hearn said.
An SES spokesperson said from overnight on Thursday, October 13, it responded to 77 requests for help.
With some in the community allowing children to play in floodwater, the spokesperson also reminded people why not to do that.
“In the space of just 10 minutes today, our members observed 10 people walking or playing in the floodwater of a river at major flood level, while rubbish, open chemical containers, and debris floated past — some of them young children,” the spokesperson said.
“Floodwater isn’t ‘fun’ — it’s toxic, and it can kill.
“Floodwater can contain dead livestock, sewage, chemicals, barbed wire fencing and more.
“Submerged drains underneath the surface of floodwater can easily trap and drown an adult, let alone a child.
“Never enter floodwater — it could be the last decision you ever make.”
Walking through Benalla on Saturday morning was surreal.
The CFA alarm was sounding, Nunn St was deserted and sporadic sandbagging was visible.
Turning left into Bridge St East it was almost as if Thursday and Friday had not happened.
Businesses were open. It looked like none had sustained any flood damage.
Turning the other direction, towards the Benalla-Monash Bridge, there was evidence of the previous day’s events.
At 9.30am it was still closed to traffic, however pedestrians were able to cross.
While there was a moderate flood warning for upstream of Benalla on Saturday, October 15, in the morning, it appeared the worst was over.
Several houses were flooded, many people displaced. Their nightmare is ongoing.
If there is a silver lining, there was no loss of life, or serious injury to anyone in the Rose City.
Community members impacted by the weekend’s flood event are encouraged to contact Benalla Rural City Council on 5760 2600 for assistance.
“We can provide, advice on emergency government payments, assistance with the removal of green and hard waste and link people with a wide range of support services,” A BRCC spokesperson said
“For general recovery advice, telephone the state-wide Storm and Flood Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760.”
The SES, which has done an amazing job with warnings and assisting to sandbag properties, as well as evacuating residents, then turned to elsewhere in the state.
Along with Victoria Police and CFA, who also spent the flood responding to calls for help, their crisis was not over.
On Saturday morning, October 15, parts of Wangaratta had an evacuation order, and communities downstream of Benalla were bracing for flooding.
Shepparton was in real trouble with sandbagging and evacuations under way.
It has since reached flood levels not seen since 1974 with thousands of homes at risk, or already under water.
At the moment the important thing for residents of Benalla is to support each other in the clean-up effort.
While the majority of us avoided flooded homes, many were not so lucky.
While the current information is showing that Benalla is continuing to see receding water levels, it is important to keep up to date with the VicEmergency app and emergency.vic.gov.au/
SES has asked residents to hold onto unused sandbags with major weather events forecast throughout spring.
Let’s hope they are not needed.