By Eleanor Wilson
On Sunday 5 November, Narre Warren’s Acia celebrated her fourth birthday at home with mum Aleisha Spencer.
But just days before, the pair was walking through floodwater to retrieve clean clothes from their home, after heavy rain caused floodwater to block the only access to the estate they live in.
On Thursday 27 October, rainfall flooded a section of Centre Road, near Deblin Drive in Narre Warren – the only intersection that provides access to Casey Green Estate.
Up until Saturday 5 November, a section of the road remained logged by 200mm of floodwater, leading Casey Council to raise the issue with Melbourne Water as a matter of urgency.
While the road was not closed to traffic, Ms Spencer said it became too dangerous to continue travelling through the flooded road with her young daughter.
“I drive a sports model type of car and unfortunately my car became damaged after driving through this water to get myself and my three year old daughter home on Friday,” Ms Spencer said.
“I was stuck in the house all weekend as we could not drive through the water.”
Research conducted by the University of New South Wales demonstrates that as little as 15cm (150mm) of water is enough for a small vehicle to start to float.
From Monday 31 October to Saturday 5 November, the young family resorted to staying with family and friends.
“I am now staying at different houses each night with a three year old, who is now very confused and upset that she can’t go home and have all her toys and her usual routine,” Ms Spencer told Star News on Friday 4 November.
“I am running out of clothes for work and to be honest it is becoming very stressful not being able to get home.”
Ms Spencer said she called Casey Council three times requesting the water to be drained in order for her to gain access to her property, but she was told it would pose a risk to flooding on nearby roads.
“Council came and put in a water level measure but that is all,” she said.
“They can pump [the water] into a truck, even if they can’t pump it into the wetlands.”
City of Casey city and asset planning manager Keri New said pumping the water has been considered, but said it would have minimal effects as the high water levels in the Melbourne Water Hallam Valley Contour Drain will allow water to flow back in.
The road has a strong history of flooding during heavy rainfall and was also impacted by floodwaters when rain lashed the state on 14 October.
Ms New said the council is monitoring the flooding on Centre Road, which was “a consequence of unprecedented water levels in Melbourne Water’s Hallam Valley Contour Drain“.
“With the support of a specialist consultant, we have identified some mitigation options that Melbourne Water could implement to reduce the potential flooding of Centre Road and are awaiting a response from Melbourne Water.”
The council has also come under fire from local residents for approving the Casey Green Estate development when it is located in a flood prone area.
“It’s a complete design fault. They’ve built it on a floodplain with no design thought for an emergency. It’s so dangerous,” Ms Spencer said.
“I feel the council are being negligent, because this is a safety issue.“
The Casey Greens development was approved based on the best available information and flood modelling at the time, Ms New said.
“More recent flood modelling is indicating higher flood levels in the Melbourne Water Hallam Valley Contour Drain when compared to any previous modelling,” Ms New said.
“Council is continuing to investigate options to reduce flooding impacts in the future.”
