Mypolonga buffalo herd escapes Murray floodwaters – again

For the second time in just a few weeks, Corey Jones has been forced to find safer ground for his buffalo herd.

Buffalo dairy farmer Corey Jones has had to relocate his buffalo for a second time to escape rising flood waters.

Mr Jones and his wife Mollie made the decision move their 400 buffalo to higher ground from their farm at Mypolonga on December 10. Three weeks later, a levee breach flooded their 140ha property.

“I had to move all stock off my farm because the dairy is situated on a hill in the middle of a flood plain. The dairy is an island right now, so if I had stayed home, I’d be in big trouble right now,” Mr Jones said.

Corey and Mollie Jones with their children Nina and Rupert. Picture: Emma Brasier.

Corey Jone's farm surrounded by rising floodwaters. Picture: Facebook

They moved 180 milking buffalo to an old dairy in Wall Flat, Mr Jones said it cost about $15,000 to get up and running. The remaining 220 buffalo are at other highland paddocks around Mypolonga.

They have now had to move their herd for a second time after a levee broke on Monday at Wall Flat.

“All the flood plain, the pastures and the swamps are now flooded because the levee let go yesterday (Monday). I then had to get all the buffalo off the paddock off the swamps because the paddocks were starting to fill up.” Mr Jones said.

Mr Jones said within 24 hours the swamps were up to river level, and the water is up to the dairy yard.

“The only reason I came here {the old dairy) is because the dairy’s up high enough to be away from the flood water and it has highland around it so the buffaloes can live in high ground and be fed.”

Corey Jone's farm surrounded by rising floodwaters. Picture: Facebook

Mr Jones said although he kept an eye on flow rates coming down to the dairy, he found it difficult to prepare.

“It was hard to accept, I was in denial that it was happening.” he said.

“It was pretty hard mentally because I was out pushing all the buffaloes and training them in a new dairy, they were quite stubborn to start with because it’s a different environment.”

But it’s still fortunately business as usual for Mr Jones and his family, he is still able to milk his buffaloes and send produce to markets in Melbourne, Sydney and Woodside.

“I’ve moved the buffaloes to higher ground but they’ll stay here because I can still milk as normal.”

“It’s just more of a headache but we’re fine, we are getting through.” Mr Jones said.

Snake catcher Max Tibby has already been called out to multiple jobs after offering his help for free to Riverland residents just a day ago. Picture: Supplied.

Snake catcher takes on Riverland flood task for free

By Shashi Baltultis

A snake catcher has volunteered in the flood effort in the Riverland by removing the slithering creatures, who are fleeing floodwaters, from homes and the service has proven to be popular.

Accredited snake catcher Max Tibby, 23, has been working at Calperum Station near Renmark on his PhD thesis on the reptiles, when he posted on social media on Monday offering his services, which have already proven to be a hit.

Mr Tibby has planned to catch snakes in between his thesis work while he’s in the Riverland.

“I put my hand up for snake catching here because I realised there isn’t anyone locally who’s available to do it,” Mr Tibby said.

“I only put the post up yesterday but since then I’ve had a couple of eastern brown snakes on call-outs.”

The scaly critters have been more noticeable as they flee their usual hiding spots which have been inundated with flooding.

“There certainly are snakes around who have been displaced because of flooding,” Mr Tibby said.

Snakes have been spotted in residential areas along the flood-hit Riverland. Picture: Facebook/Katelyn Boughen

And the reptile enthusiast said he got a call just hours after putting the post on Facebook, he said.

“It was only a couple hours since putting the post up on (Riverland Flood Watch 2022-2023) Facebook that I had someone calling me just in Paringa with a big eastern brown in the toilet.”

Mr Tibby offers the service free of charge due to the flooding situation and his availability.

“I think it’s best to put my hand up and say ‘I can’t do everything but I’ll help where I can’ and I don’t feel a need to charge for that,” he said.

“I’m only up here for a week or two at a time and I’m working full time so I can’t guarantee that I can get out to a snake.”

Mr Tibby will be available sporadically for the service for the period he is travelling to and from the Riverland.

“At least for the next couple of months when I’m back and forth in between the Riverland I’m not going to be charging here because there is a flood situation.”

While working in Adelaide Mr Tibby supplements his PhD stipend with snake catching jobs.

But if he is not around, Mr Tibby said he will still try to help out anyone in need of reptile removal advice.

“If there’s something and there isn’t a catcher around, give me a call and we can talk through what to do and see what options are available,” he said.

And Mr Tibby advised that snakes do not want to harm people.

“They’re really nothing to worry about if you let them be on their way.”