Family rescued at Smythes Creek amid floods

A FAMILY of six has been rescued by dinghy from rising flood waters outside their Smythes Creek home. A State Emergency Services crew moved the family, which included two young babies, to safety after receiving a call for help about 2pm today. The family had become trapped at the Bells Road residence after a large body of flowing water cut off road access to the property. The SES members had initially attempted to reach the family by four-wheel-drive, but were forced to use the dinghy due the level of water and instability of the terrain.Two State Emergency Service crews attended, led by SES crew members Leonie Sharpe and Blair Sargeant. The rescue operation took about 90 minutes. Property owner Toni Middleton said it was the fifth time in 13 months her Bells Road property had experienced flooding. Mrs Middleton, her daughters Libby Middleton and Teri Puckle, son-in-law Lucas Puckle and grandchildren Lilly Puckle, three months, and Connor Middleton, five months, were all rescued in the dinghy. “Each time it floods we lose some of our culvert or driveway,” Mrs Middleton said.She said she had tried to leave the property in a vehicle that morning but was turned back by the force of the water.“It’s not an issue of being stuck in there. It’s just when you can get out,” she said. “You just don’t know when it is going to go down.”The biggest concern for the extended family was the precarious health of five-month-old Connor who suffers from an ongoing bowel disorder and receives regular medical attention.“If he gets sick he has to go to the Royal Children’s hospital, he can’t just go to the Ballarat Base,” Mrs Middleton said. Mrs Middleton said she planned to stay at a friend’s house for a couple of days until the water subsided. The Puckles were visiting from Hopetoun and will return home, while Libby is now heading to Canberra. Around the region motorists are being urged to take care as large pools of water form over many major roads. Police are warning drivers to take extra care on the roads as the state braces for more heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding over the coming days.Police have advised drivers to reduce speeds and leave a greater distance between vehicles in these conditions.