Shepparton Covid crisis: First world famine

Shepparton has come to a standstill as a Covid cluster of 67 paralyses a town of 60,000. The forlorn speak here.

Teesha Gallo has been isolating since Sunday after Notre Dame College in Shepparton recorded a positive Covid case.

Families in the Goulburn Valley are begging for food, some having gone days without eating, as the worsening Covid crisis takes hold of a country town in northern Victoria.

As of Thursday, demand for food deliveries skyrocketed 300 per cent, CFA brigades were without firefighters, and families locked in isolation were at breaking point.

More than a third of the town in isolation but the community is refusing to give up without a fight.

The first Covid case was detected last Friday before the cluster plunged regional Victoria back into lockdown on Saturday.

Now there are 67 cases and the Goulburn Valley community and surrounding regional Victorian towns are rallying to feed people who cannot leave their homes or have food delivered.

A near deserted Maude Street Mall in the centre of Shepparton last Friday. Picture: David Caird

With supermarket giants reducing hours and staff, one welfare organisation delivered more than 250 packages on Thursday.

GV Cares, a Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project initiative formed to fight Shepparton’s first outbreak in October 2020, has been reformed to fight the 2021 cluster.

GV Cares executive officer Lisa McKenzie said the organisation had delivered more than 250 packages on Thursday.

“Some people have told us they haven’t eaten for days,” she said,

“So many people have told us they don’t have basics.

“There have been a lot of tears when we have handed over parcels.

“It’s been amazing the amount of support we’ve received.”

Businesses as far as Echuca on the NSW border are also helping.

Fuzion Cafe and Noel’s Quality Meats joined forces earlier this week to get as much food from the border town to Shepparton as possible.

Fuzion Cafe owner Veronica Berg the response had been monumental.

“No one should be going hungry,” she said.

“It’s devastating to see how many people have been impacted. Living in a smaller community ourselves we understand just how quickly things can change in this situation.”

Stephen Skinner in line to get tested in Shepparton. Picture: David Caird

Supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths have reduced hours, click and collect services and delivery options.

A Woolworths spokesperson said a number of staff were in isolation.

“As a consequence, we regrettably don’t have enough team members to fulfil our normal online order volumes for the local community,” they said.

Coles said it was in a similar situation at its Shepparton, Shepparton South and Mooroopna stores.

“We have introduced a number of measures to enable us to continue to serve the community. This includes reducing trading hours and reducing capacity for home delivery and Click&Collect,” a spokesperson said.

“We know that for some customers, coming into our stores may not be possible and we are seeing increased demand for Coles Online.

“We are working hard to increase capacity; however, we have unfortunately had to cancel a number of home delivery and Click&Collect orders that we have been unable to fulfil.”

Cake Matters Shepparton owner Travis Williams said it was a ghost town.

“This lockdown has been the hardest of all of them,” he said.

“The Shepparton community has been absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen so many people buying a product for others just to cheer them up.

“We’ve had to think outside the square to keep our doors open.

“We’ve even reverted to selling our reduced items on Facebook and those are being snapped up. If people don’t want to come in we’re happy to take the cakes out to their cars.”

Aussie Hotel owner Paul Tsorbaris had just received a delivery of 80 kegs on beer before the regional Victoria was plunged back into lockdown. Picture: David Caird

Grace Newman, 19 from Shepparton, is an education support officer at Notre Dame College and has been isolating since Sunday following a positive Covid case at the school.

Her friend Teesha Gallo has also been in isolation and says the situation with food deliveries had been dire.

She said she placed two grocery orders for pick up at Coles but both had been cancelled.

“One order was cancelled 30 minutes before it was meant to be collected,” she said.

“I had to get my parents to collect the food but I know a lot of people who don’t have family here so they’re trying to get food from welfare organisations delivered to their home.”

But the Shepparton woman, a Notre Dame College Year 9 teacher, says she is more worried about her students.

“It’s such a teacher thing to say but I am worried about them,” Ms Gallo said.

“This lockdown is different because we’re doing less video calls because so many families are isolating. It’s been tough on them and we have assessments coming up. I know they would be feeling pressure.”

Ms Gallo said without her baking business that operated throughout the last time she was personally feeling more stuck.

“That kept me busy last time but without it, I feel more stuck,” she said.

“But I’m doing okay.”

Dana Sinclair works at Goulburn Valley Health but has been forced to isolate at home.

Dana Sinclair, who works in Goulburn Valley Health’s operating theatre, is one of the 450 staff isolating because of the outbreak.

Her daughter Elyse is a student at Notre Dame College.

Mrs Sinclair had returned to work for three days following a six week break, when she was forced to isolate.

“I’ve worked there for 12 years so to be stuck at home, while my colleagues are working harder than they ever have, is frustrating,” she said.

“My mum (Anne Lawer) works in the operating theatre and said there was a list of workers able to work and there’s only 12 names.

“It really sucks.”

She said Goulburn Valley Health’s boss Matt Sharpe had become a local hero for his community, updating Shepparton before the government and keeping staff – even those isolating – informed.

“He has been such a valuable source of information,” Mrs Sinclair said.

She said the community response had been unbelievable.

“Before our neighbours went to the store on Thursday morning, they yelled through our door, ‘Do you need anything from the shops?’” Mrs Sinclair said.

“We’re fortunate enough to be in a supportive community.”

Supplied Editorial Lyle Sinclair at his office at home in Shepparton while in isolation.

Her husband Lyle is the Mooroopna CFA captain and is a fleet officer for Ambulance Victoria.

He said of the 30 active firefighters at one stage 24 of them were isolating.

“The situation has been fluid but stressful,” Mr Sinclair said.

“We’re managing it as best we can to make sure we always have crews, from other areas, on hand.

“The CFA District 22 has been helpful and made sure we’ve had access to their resources.”

Mr Sinclair is one of two Ambulance Victoria fleet maintenance officers based in Shepparton who maintain vehicles across almost 20 ambulance branches across north-east Victoria.

“As I am in isolation that has only left one officer locally. Support from neighbouring workshops has been required to continue the high level of service to the paramedics of the Goulburn Valley,” he said.

“Something as important as ambulance resources is potentially impacted by my isolation from work.

“That has been a frustration. I need to be at my job. My colleagues need me there. The service needs me there.”

Piper Lane, 7, is being homeschooled after a positive Covid case was confirmed at Notre Dame College.

Bianca Lane, from St Brendan’s Primary School, has been homeschooling her daughter Piper, 7, since Tuesday morning.

Her son, Spencer, 3, is also in daycare so both of her kids have been at home.

“It’s been overwhelming. Luckily I did our grocery shopping on the weekend because when I tried to order more earlier in the week, I realised it wouldn’t get here until 7pm on Sunday.”

Ms Lane said her kids didn’t understand why they couldn’t go outside.

“Piper saw someone riding their bike and asked if she could ride hers. I had to tell her we couldn’t because we needed to isolate,” she said.

“Pa also dropped off some cereal at the front door and the kids said they wanted to go with him but obviously couldn’t.

“I am a little bit concerned (about the outbreak) but given we’re isolating we’re probably the safest we can be.

“The information has been confusing about who is, and isn’t, meant to be tested.”

Meanwhile, small grocers are also battling to keep their shelves stocked.

IGA shop owners in Shepparton Brendan and Nicole Kennedy. Picture: Wayne Taylor

IGA X-Press owner Brendan Kennedy said he had lost his delivery driver on Thursday because he had to isolate.

“We’ve had no bread for quite a while,” he said.

Greater Shepparton City Council chief executive Peter Harriott said the local government was helping to coordinate the relief and recovery effort.

“There is a service system in place responsible for provision of emergency food and essential item relief such as the Covid Hume Relief Co-ordination Committee and Covid Municipal Recovery Social Working Group,” he said.

“Council provides annual funding and support to local services, such as Shepparton FoodShare who are currently assisting with the packaging and delivery of parcels that comprise emergency food as well as toiletries, pet food and nappies as an example.

“Council staff are also assisting FoodShare with the packaging and distribution of food parcels. Other services assisting with the relief effort, including the provision and distribution of food packages, includes the Red Cross, GV Cares, Shepparton and District Ethnic Council and Salvocare Shepparton.

“To date approximately 450 food packs have been delivered across Greater Shepparton in the past 72 hours, with an additional 150 families to receive food pack deliveries tomorrow (Friday).”

Shepparton had gone more than 300 days without recording a positive Covid case.