General News
14 August, 2026
Local SES volunteers remind community to avoid floodwater after many rescues
Maryborough's SES and nearby units responded to more rescues on Monday than they did during the 2011 floods, according to first responder.
Local SES volunteers said they rescued more people during the heavy rain earlier this week than in the 2011 floods.
Flood warnings were in place throughout the district on August 10 due to the risk of flash flooding.
Maryborough recorded 39.2 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, the highest in a single day since July last year.
It was enough for rivers to break their banks, flooding roads, and forcing community members to find safer routes.
However, not everyone did, which is when Maryborough SES and surrounding units stepped up.
Local unit controller Rachel Mitchell said they responded to 22 calls for help, half of them rescues, in 17 hours.
“While there have been a small number related to flooding in homes and a couple of tree downs the large majority of our calls have been for people who have driven into flood waters and gotten stuck,” she said.
Ms Mitchell said they did more rescues on Monday than during the 2011 floods when over 200 mm of rain fell in just four days.
She reasoned there were more rescues in less rain because motorists’ weren’t driving to conditions.
“If it’s flooded, forget it. Unless you can see the road surface under the water you actually don’t know what’s going on,” she said.
Ms Mitchell explained familiar roads can dramatically change during floods due to debris or even being washed away.
“Even if you think you might be right, there’s always that chance you’re going to have to call us if you’re not,” she said.
Ms Mitchell said small cars could float in water 15 centimeters deep while larger cars, like a sedan, could float in just 30 centimeters.
That’s exactly what happened for their last call on Mullins Road near Eddington.
Ms Mitchell said it was dark and the road was flooded when a motorist misjudged the depth and tried to cross.
Within a few metres his car began to float before being caught on the roadside barrier.
“He was a very lucky person because, if there was no barrier there, he could of actually gone down,” she said.
While he managed to swim to safety, Ms Mitchell said most couldn’t, being older members of the community.
“It’s very lucky when they can make it out but a lot of the ones who were being rescued ... they couldn’t get out themselves,” she said.
They turned to the local SES for help, who now turn to the community, seeking volunteers.
“We’ve got a very small crew so if anyone is interested in joining they can go to the Vic SES website and put in an expression of interest,” Ms Mitchell said.
She hopes to double their operational members with five to 10 more volunteers.
“That would help us run multiple crews so we don’t have members out in ones or twos … because some jobs take a lot more,” she said.