Watch and act alerts are in place on Thursday morning for Victoria’s Goulburn River from Seymour to Shepparton, as well as Bendigo and Bullock Creeks downstream of Minto.
The river at Murchison peaked at about 10.5 metres on Wednesday and is slated to fall below the minor flooding level of nine metres on Friday, authorities said.
The Goulburn River at McCoys Bridge was expected to exceed the minor flood level on Thursday afternoon before moderate flooding at the bridge and Shepparton from about Friday morning.
Crews have doorknocked about 300 homes from Kialla to Shepparton with fewer than a dozen properties expected to be inundated, Victoria SES chief officer Tim Wiebusch said on Wednesday afternoon.
“But there will be extensive flooding in some of the streets, so please be alert to that,” he told reporters.
The Goulburn River is expected to escape any significant rainfall over the coming days but storms with the potential of heavy rainfalls are brewing in the east and north.
Rochester residents can return to assess any damage to their properties with the flood threat reduced in that area.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged further support for victims of Victoria’s damaging floods as the clean-up continues and some communities remain under threat.
The prime minister on Wednesday visited the State Control Centre with acting premier Ben Carroll, saying his government would give whatever support was requested to make sure flood victims weren’t left behind.
The financial support would go towards emergency and hardship payments along with local councils in what was a traumatic time, especially for those already devastated by October 2022 floods, Mr Albanese said.
“It’s also what Australians expect and deserve,” the prime minister said.
The Victorian government outlined 17 local government areas eligible for further assistance.
-AAP
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