Andrew Furphy’s entire 160 hectare farm at Arcadia was inundated by floodwater earlier in the week after the Seven Creeks burst its banks.
Everything except his and wife Frederica’s house, that is. Thankfully it was built high enough to keep the water at bay.
Mr Furphy said that by Thursday, October 13, they knew they were going to be in trouble with flooding at the property at Union Rd East.
“As soon as the announcement was broadcast that the flood levels of the Goulburn were expected to be above the 1974 levels and were devastating Seymour and Murchison, we really got cracking,” he said.
Mr and Mrs Furphy bought extra food and prepared their home and property as best they could, as they watched as the water slowly started creeping up on Thursday.
Mr Furphy moved his 500 sheep to the highest ground on his property — which had remained dry in the 1993 flood.
However, by Saturday morning he had to jump in the boat and move the sheep again after the last sections of dry paddocks were inundated by water about knee deep.
After a quick phone call to his neighbours Tim and Jenny Sorraghan, Mr Furphy cut the fence into their property and moved the sheep to their higher ground.
The water rose again overnight Sunday, and it was a sleepless night for Mr Furphy as he was concerned about his flock.
“I didn’t sleep that night thinking they might have a problem,” he said.
“I was worried only for the stock.
“I knew we (the house) were pretty secure.”
He estimates the sheep stood in water for about 12 hours before the water receded enough for them to be on dry land again.
During the ordeal, Mr Furphy lost a ram and three lambs, but the rest of his flock survived.
“I was pretty lucky,” he said.
“The water came quickly.
“On Monday morning I was very happy to see the water receding.”
The Furphys were on the farm during the 1993 flood, and he has markers throughout the property showing areas that remained dry then.
Before now, that was the highest floodwater he had seen.
He estimates this flood was about 200mm higher at his property.
Union Rd was only navigable by tractor or boat until Tuesday morning, but after that, they could get out again.
Mr Furphy said he kept in touch with his neighbours throughout the flood, with a “great camaraderie” among them all.
While properties were flooded, Mr Furphy said other houses along Union Rd between the Goulburn Valley Hwy and Euroa Rd also narrowly avoided inundation.