NANGILOC General Store & Tavern manager Mick Kelly commutes to work every day, but knowing locals pretty well, he has “a bit of emotion” attached to the flood outlook in the area.
Mr Kelly said levels increased “significantly” in the past week and updates suggested water levels could rise from 8.4m to above the 1956 level of 9m, covering Kulkyne Way, which passes the store.
“There are some stalwarts (in Nangiloc) for a significant amount of time, or had grown up their whole life, and some of them are concerned,” Mr Kelly said.
“About 100mm over (the 1956 level) means it would come over (Kulkyne Way).”
Mr Kelly said some farms had already had pumps compromised by rising waters and sandbagging had begun to protect the substantial value of infrastructure at certain fruit-producing companies.
But he said the situation was not expected to be at its worst for another seven to 10 days.
Mr Kelly said a levee bank around Nangiloc Recreation Reserve made sense to keep Kulkyne Way open and provide locals a lifeline.
“There’s a lot of people out there that are going to have to go without or they’re going to be reliant on the ADF or someone like that, to provide food and basic essential services.”
Mr Kelly applauded the community spirit in force on Friday when a group of 35 to 40 Pacific islander workers arrived to fill sandbags.
“They were from a Samoan or Tongan background and they were one of the first ones to put their hands up to say, we’ll come and fill sandbags for you.”
Upstream, volunteers from Western Australia have also taken the time to support residents worried about flooding as they sandbagged homes at Euston.
Diarmuid Kinsella, who is a WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services district officer, said 15 volunteers spent the past four days attending to calls for assistance in Balranald, Euston, Goodnight and Tooleybuc.
“There’s just been a little bit of sandbagging around doorways in preparation, if flooding does occur,” Mr Kinsella said.
“Most of the calls have come from the elderly or disabled, or people that don’t have ability to lug sandbags around themselves.”
Mr Kinsella said volunteers were “happy to return the favour” after NSW volunteers travelled to WA in the aftermath of Cyclone Seroja in 2021.
That event destroyed homes in Kalbarri, downed power lines and resulted in one death.
“Local crews here have been at it for a little while now, a couple of months,” he said.
“It’s just to give them a bit of reprieve. We’re more than happy to come in and do a week’s work.”
Mr Kinsella said volunteers expected further calls for assistance following heavy rainfall at the weekend.
Mildura Airport recorded 21mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Sunday, followed by more showers. Lower Murray Water’s Nangiloc gauge recorded 27.4mm for the same period.
Up to Saturday, 26.4mm had fallen in Mildura this month. Up to 11mm was being forecast from Monday to Saturday this week.
