AS another flood chapter is written in the Kerang district, business owner Amanda Day is optimistic despite the blow to businesses.
“We will get through it, and everything will form back into normality and we can get back to business,” she said.
This is Ms Day’s first emergency of any kind, after moving to the area from Adelaide to start her own bookshop business, The Little Blue Book Shop.
“I am opening in the mornings as most businesses are, then chipping in the afternoon with sandbagging,” she said.
“This is my first experience in any emergency. I’ve never had any fires, earthquakes – it’s all completely foreign.”
She said it was a “surreal” time in the district, having watched the 2011 flood event on the news, with other family members impacted.
“The waiting has affected me … waiting for the peak to arrive, then it’s pushed out, which is good, but it’s just that constant waiting and never knowing when it will happen,” Ms Day said.
“I’m confident the levee will hold, but I have concern for people outside the levee area and the long-term impact on the levees. They might have to hold longer than usual and that will test if there are breaches.”
It was “horrible” timing for Kerang businesses as they geared up for the Christmas trade period.
“We were looking at having Christmas promotions with traders, a ladies’ day was supposed to be held last Friday, so as timing goes, it does suck, but it is what it is.
“We will get through it.”
Ms Day said it had never been more critical for people to shop locally, after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and now the floods.
“We need to once again support local businesses in the Christmas period,” she said.
“Once out of lockdown, we want tourists to come visit us here. It’s a beautiful area around us, we have rivers and lakes to visit, when not flooding.
“We will welcome anyone and everyone with open arms.”
