Local heroes push forward to save town
Kim Haley watched as the 2011 floodwaters inundated Skipton, dragging away the heart and soul of the town.
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The supermarket employee was out of work for three weeks while the supermarket was gutted and rebuilt. When water lapped at the doors on Thursday Ms Haley was determined to save the supermarket, save her town and save her job.
“I grew up here and as a kid one of the biggest, most exciting things was when the creek flooded – it’s kind of stupid in hindsight,” Ms Haley said.
“January 2011 was the first real flood I saw and there was nothing left – just the community. (is wonderful). I’m not leaving Skipton, I love our community.”
At 2pm on Thursday waters began to clear from the street edges, and the creek gave the appearance of easing its flow slightly.
“Everyone pitches in, I’ve been crook all week but your adrenaline just kicks in. You know what you’ve got to do and you just do it,” Ms Haley said.
She knew “save Skipton” efforts were on at 7am on Thursday morning when her daughter called to say the waters were rising.
“My daughter called at 7am and said ‘it’s full steam ahead, get out bed and get moving’,” Ms Haley said.
“I didn’t want to relive 2011 so I knew I had to keep going. You don’t lose that image … things have never been the same since 2011.”
Lifelong Skipton resident Pat Hutchison was out the front of the Skipton Community Shop on Thursday.
The shop, which opened six months ago, is open 7 days a week. It sells knick-knacks and clothing. The site used to be the supermarket before the floods.
“I was that stressed out – to think the town was under threat – and I understand the creek, that should be called a river,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“The people all pulled together. If they hadn’t sandbagged the area, without a doubt we wouldn’t gone under.
“They were just wonderful.”
But not all residents are keen to stay in Skipton. Nigel Egan grabbed his prized watch and wedding ring, fearful his garage and temporary home would be inundated again.
This time, he has had enough. He praised the community efforts that “saved the town” but pledged to move away. He does not expect to sell his building for much, he hopes to just recoup the land value.
Ms Haley won’t be going anywhere.
“If the floods had come again, Skipton would have become a ghost town,” she said.
“Everyone is anxious, but we’ve just got to wait and see. I know everyone will band together. I would not live anywhere else.”
Watering hole is saved of floods
WHEN Skipton’s watering hole was inundated by floods in 2011 it closed.
Distraught locals lost the place where they could gather, have a chat and enjoy a beer or two.
“It was the meeting place for the town – it’s the place everyone goes to chat and talk,” resident Kim Haley said.
“The community was never the same (after the pub shut) – it lost that buzz.”
A few years ago Michelle Macken and her husband bought a small holiday house in Skipton.
“My husband is an Irishman – if he was going to buy a house somewhere, he needed somewhere to drink,” Ms Macken said.
When The Courier toured the Skipton Hotel it was clear renovations were in progress, however there was no water in sight. On Thursday the cellar was flooded – but by Friday it was being pumped out.
For the Macken’s the flood is not a setback. They are determined to make sure beer is the next liquid flowing freely in Skipton. It is expected to open mid-2017.
Peak flood levels reached 5.03 metres in Skipton at 2pm on Thursday, slightly higher than peak levels in 2010.
Resilient locals fight flood
Skipton residents, emergency workers and local leaders will meet on Saturday to discuss future plans for the town ahead of predicted poor weather conditions on Tuesday.
SES incident controller Ray Jasper said the peak levels were lower than the February 2011 floods, which devastated Skipton – leaving it without a pub and supermarket. The peak levels reached in 2011 was 6.04 metres.
Corangamite Shire north ward Councillor Geoff Smith visited the region on Wednesday and Thursday, speaking to residents and assessing water levels.
“The water has gone down quite a bit but residents are still wondering, there is quite a possibility (something could happen),” Cr Smith said.
“I think the community was resigned to the fact that the water is there and could rise – I am very happy with what was being done, the new drainage system has made a difference and we were very satisfied with the response from the emergency services.”
Hazel Robson remained anxious, fighting to save her home that was gutted by the 2011 floods.
Hazel and Gary Robson’s love for history drew them to Henry Bolte’s creek-side childhood house in Skipton. When they purchased it 16 years ago ti was a wreck – but the devoted couple dedicated their time to restoring the house and manicuring a beautiful garden.
“We lost absolutely everything,” Mrs Robson said.
Just months ago Mrs Robson lost her husband. On Thursday she was fighting to save the home they had painstakingly refurbished in the months and years after 2011. In her neat lounge rooms Mrs Robson could see the water encroaching. Her picturesque window looks directly on a tree that has two marks. The first –measuring 7 inches, the second nearly 10.
Mr Bolte spent most of the first 24 years of his life in Skipton, attending the Skipton Primary School and Ballarat Grammar School. Mrs Robson said Mr Bolte even swam in the creek that eventually flooded the Wright Street property.
Cr Smith said council’s million dollar drainage project had spared the town. The SES is preparing flood mapping with between five and 40 millimetres expected in Victoria from Tuesday.