Locals, CFA and SES members, farmers and excavation contractors waged a pitched battle against the rising waters, filling and arranging sandbags, pumping flooded drains and cellars and evacuating the local historical society’s treasured exhibits and records to higher ground.

The Mt Emu Creek runs through the centre of the town of just under 1,000 people.

It was threatening to overflow the Glenelg Highway at the bridge spanning it.

Water backing up as it struck the bridge would have spilled out either side of the creek’s banks, flowing into the main street and flooding the town’s museum and nearby cafe.

Police and VicRoads crews maintained control of traffic through Skipton as teams worked in the main street to pump water rising from drains back into the floodwater further downstream.

Skipton Historical Society past president Barbara Pett said the members were taking no chances with the waters rising, after the 2011 floods damaged and destroyed exhibits and records.

Volunteers were moving everything out of the society’s buildings, from photographs to an historic piano, which according to Barbara “rocked around the room like a washing machine” in the 2011 floods.

“We’d rather do this - take however many hours to get it out and putting it back - than having to go through the pain of last time,” said Ms Pett.

Everyone from CFA members to townspeople were frantically piling everything from documents to a mannequin in an AIF uniform into vehicles to be removed to the saftey of the Skipton golf course. 

At 2pm waters began to clear from the street edges, and the creek gave the appearance of easing its flow slightly.

In what could only be taken as a good omen, a platypus popped its head out of the muddy swirl near the bridge, before disappearing with a splash back into the water.

It appears as though flood levels have peaked and there is no further danger to the town at this point.

Further west down the Glenelg Highway, the road has also been closed.

This message just came through from the SES:

“The Glenelg Highway at Wickliffe is closed, due to flooding.

No significant rainfall is forecast for the next few days in the Glenelg and Hopkins Basins.

No additional areas of flooding are expected in the Glenelg and Hopkins basins for this event.

The Bureau of Meteorology is continuing to monitor the situation.”

People in Skipton are preparing for flooding as the mounting creek looks like broaching the Glenelg Highway Bridge in the centre of town.

The historical society has been emptied as waters lap at the posts in the bottom of the building.

Police public order response vehicles are closing the highway into the centre of town but traffic is being allowed through on the car by car basis.

There are teams of locals, SES volunteers, CFA workers preparing sandbags around buildings and businesses in the centre of town.

There is no sense of panic or resignation rather willingness to get in and help people are pushing shopping trolleys full of historical items to the safety of the golf course.

The water is rising slowly but steadily. 

Locals are hoping that it won't rise too much more. 

It's still two metres off the peak of the damaging floods of 2011.

The following message has just been released by the SES:

“Rainfall in the Ballarat/Skipton area on Tuesday night has resulted in a steady rise of the Mt Emu Creek at Skipton.

The Smythe Street Gauge is currently reading 4.97 metres with a further small rise likely. This level is similar to the 2010 flood level, but below the 2011 flood level. 

Properties and businesses along Anderson, Montgomery and Cleveland Streets will be impacted. 

Wright and Bolte Streets could also be affected by rising floodwater.

Road closures are expected,so plan travel accordingly and refer to the VicRoads website for up to date information.”