Some 6000 properties across Shepparton and Mooroopna are likely to be affected by flooding as residents have been told to prepare to evacuate.
State Emergency Service incident control centre commander Robert van Dorsser spoke to the Shepparton community at a flood forum on Friday night and said the city was bracing for a 12-metre flood.
Residents in Mooroopna on Friday night were told to prepare for evacuation, while Murchison was bracing for major flooding on Friday night and Saturday morning.
People have been urged to stay alert but calm.
The causeway linking Mooroopna and Shepparton is expected to shut at about midnight on Sunday night/Monday morning when the water level hits 11.6 metres.
It’s unclear when residents will be asked to leave, and from where.
Legally, residents do not have to leave, but Mr van Dorsser said the evacuation orders were put in place with solid grounding and local knowledge and encouraged people to leave when told.
Mr van Dorsser said he expected utilities like water and electricity to stay operational during the floods.
"It's water and electricity, they don't mix, it only takes a bit going the wrong way for it go out. You need to be prepared for power to go out," he said.
Mr van Dorsser urged residents to check the flood projection tool at http://gbcma.vic.gov.au/ although the website has been having issues with traffic.
He said people should inform themselves of what would likely happen at their property through the link above, the SES website and the Vic Emergency app.
SES likened this flood to the 1974 flood, however, because infrastructure had changed it was unclear if water would impact the same areas as those floods.
Major flooding has been experienced in every tributary of the Goulburn River, with Seymour experiencing record flooding in the early hours of Friday morning.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority flood plains implementation manager Joel Liester said the Broken River would likely flood on Saturday night in Shepparton.
"Large volumes of water are coming through the system,“ Mr Liester said.
“Goulburn-Murray Water is passing record amounts out of the Goulburn Weir but it will slow it down."
The ADF will assist with sandbagging on Saturday morning, with Kialla Recreation Reserve no longer a sandbag distribution point.
Instead, Shepparton Showgrounds will open by 10am on Saturday morning, and sites at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve and in Tatura will be set as additional sandbag distribution points from 10am to 7pm on Saturday.
Greater Shepparton City Council will also attempt to translate warnings after feedback from the community that more help was needed for communities for whom English wasn’t their first language.