NSW Floods: Flash flooding hits Molong as clean up is well underway

A small town in the state’s central west has been devastated by a “monster of water” overnight, affecting more than 30 businesses and 60 houses. Read the full extent of the damage here.

Clean up is well underway for a small town in the state’s central west, following devastating flash flooding which saw thousands of residents isolated overnight in what has been described as the “worst floods in recent times”.

Graham Wilson standing among the rubbish outside his parents house in Molong.

“It’s certainly bigger than the 2005 flood,” Orange state Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Phillip Donato said of the floods, after witnessing the devastation in Molong first hand.

“Approximately 30 odd businesses and potentially 60 odd homes have been affected … and that might increase.

“A lot of those businesses were also impacted back in November last year … so this is the second time in 12 months.”

NSWSES Molong branch representative Sue Condon said the town received “about 70 millimetres” of rain “before anyone could even react”.

SES Molong crew’s Sue Condon (left) and Dave Townsend.

NSW Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party Orange MP Philip Donato. (AAP Image/Erik Anderson)

“It was a combination of a significant thunderstorm which caused the initial flooding,” Ms Condon said.

“By the time we even reacted to that, we knew a monster of water was coming down the creek, hurtling towards Molong — and a very significant creek rise, with very little reaction time.”

Debris scattered across the oval in Molong after flash flooding overnight pic.twitter.com/ETQjXMRLaU

— Aymon Bertah (@AymonBertah) November 14, 2022

Ms Condon explained that due to the amount of water, “no amount of preparation could have saved the town”.

As water began receding about 7am on Monday morning, the extent of the flood damage was soon revealed with Molong resident Graham Wilson speaking to The Daily Telegraph outside his parent’s home.

“I got a phone call last night at around 2 o’clock in the morning, telling me my mum’s [house] was under,” Mr Wilson said.

Graham Wilson’s parents home during flash flooding on Monday morning.

“[She got] a knock on the door at about 12 o’clock.”

Despite the warning, it was too little too late, and Mr Wilson detailed the damage, revealing a shipping container had even made its way into the backyard of the property.

“It’s waterlogged everywhere, all the carpets are ruined and pretty much all the furniture as well,” he said.

“It’s the worst it’s ever been, it was probably about two foot [high] inside the house.”

The shipping container which swept into Graham Wilson’s parents house during the flash flooding.

With a long road ahead, Mr Wilson and his family are in “high spirits”, describing a strong community bond which has brought “everyone together” during the “hard times”.

‘The Molong community is unbelievable … we stick together big time,” he said.

And this could be seen on the ground, with Molong’s Bank St, packed to the brim with community members getting their hands dirty and doing their part for the town.

One of the hardest hit businesses was Molong Cafe, a recent purchase by businessman Jeremy Norris – the owner of Orange’s popular Byng Street Cafe.

Molong Cafe owner Jeremy Norris

While concerned about the damage which has seen the floor of the building “shift 100 millimetres”, Mr Norris has remained positive.

“[The floods] have just lifted it up and moved it and put it back down again … it’s pretty bad,” Mr Norris said.

‘We purchased [the cafe] about six months ago and luckily we’re pulling it all apart to build a restaurant … it was at its emptiest possible state it could have been in which is a saving grace.

“[But] we’ll just have to go back to the drawing board and see what happens in the future.”

Car trapped after flash flooding in Molong

Meantime, police and emergency services are urging communities in the central west to “not take risks” as the Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings for the region.

This includes heavy rainfall and flash flooding for Eugowra, Derribong and Canowindra.

On Monday, a flood evacuation was called for Eugowra – south west of Molong – with residents in the “low-lying areas” told to evacuate immediately as Mandagery Creek continued to rise.

Reports indicate the creek is expected to surpass the major flood level of nine metres.

According to NSW Police, Forbes and Parkes, “which are still affected by recent flooding”, may come under a renewed threat of “flood inundation”.

A total of 101 active flood warnings and 14 emergency warnings have been actioned across the state and as a result, six evacuation centres have been established at the following locations:

Cudal Bowling Club – Brown Street, Cudal

Canowindra Public School – Tilga Street, Caowindra

Eugowra Public School – Hill Street, Eugowra

Moama Recreation Reserve – Perricoota Road, Moama

Molong RSL – Riddesl Street, Molong

Parkes High School – Albert Street, Parkes

Police urge anyone who is unable to make contact with friends or family displaced by the most recent flooding event to use the Register Find Reunite website: https://www.redcross.org.au/emergencies/about-register-find-reunite/