SWAN Hill’s relief centre for people fleeing Kerang and district started to receive supplies on Monday afternoon, with a helicopter landing to deliver boxes of Salvation Army equipment and goods.
The Stadium basketball centre has been turned into a makeshift relief centre, with Swan Hill Council already housing people in accommodation before the relief centre was able to be commissioned.
Council chief executive officer Scott Barber spoke to the The Guardian at the centre, saying you want to “chip in” as a neighbouring council, that could itself feel the impacts next week when the floodwater enters the Murray at Echuca and hits Swan Hill.
“We have been talking to the acting CEO in Gannawarra, Geoff Rollinson, every day. They are feeling the pressure and want to look after the community and we have the facilities to be able to do so,” he said.
“We would hope anyone else would do that for anyone’s neighbour. We believe in that philosophy and glad we can help.”
Mr Barber said it was a “fair comment” when suggested that councils had learnt a lot of lessons from the flood event in 2011 that could be applied while the knowledge and memories remained.
“As a council, we have looked at our own levee bank structures, looked at own facilities, checked our pumps. We know what to look for from previous flood events,” he said.
“Having said that, you can never be too prepared, and we are fortunate in Swan Hill hat we are a number of days downstream from where the water is entering the system so we can look upstream, attend daily meetings with other councils affected and listen to what they are wrestling with and check our own checklists.”
Salvation Army Officer Peter Hobbs said they had witnessed the inundation of homes in Maribyrnong and in the Bendigo region.
“We have come up here early to ensure we are well prepared should something happen up here,” he said. “We feel honoured to come and serve the community.”
Asked what made the Salvos so special, Mr Hobbs said it was the experience and journey with communities during disasters since 1884.
“We can empathies with people, support and show love.
“Our main role is to support and provide food and material aid. In times of crisis, we can keep it together and know someone is out there for them, other than direct loved ones.”
The relief centre is open at The Stadium, 15 Gray Street, Swan Hill.
