Racehorses owned by Gerry Ryan missing in Nagambie floodwaters; Mitchelton winery awash

Businessman Gerry Ryan is missing two promising racehorses in floodwaters at Nagambie, as his Mitchelton winery and gallery are also inundated.

Jayco Caravans boss Gerry Ryan at his Michelton winery on the Goulburn River near Nagambie before flooding.

Nagambie is reeling in wake of the damaged facilities, businesses and lost animals after the heavy rains and floods.

Popular winery Michelton Wines, on the banks of the Goulburn River at Nagambie, is closed indefinitely following the floods.

The winery was purchased by prominent Australian businessman Gerry Ryan in 2011.

Ryan said the loss of the winery paled in comparison to the loss of houses and horses that people in the region were experiencing, including two of this own promising racehorses feared lost.

“The winery, the cellar, the winery itself is all under water,” Ryan said.

“Our art gallery is gone, we got barrels floating around on the roof and lots of indigenous artwork has been destroyed.”

Mitchelton winery in the Goulburn Valley before flooding.

CFA Wirrate third lieutenant Jedd Dawe said the winery had become a big part of the Nagambarie community and surrounding areas.

“Michelton has basically gone under as far as I am aware, we haven’t had any chance to get in there,” he said.

“Michelton has sort of been a good meeting point and we do a lot of stuff through them in the past.

“Our station is situated on the winery so we do have good ties there but we don’t know what they’ve lost directly.”

Other areas are reporting lost horses and some residents remain in their houses as they wait for water levels to recede.

Horses at Yulong Stud battle floodwaters. Picture: Patrick Murrell

The Wirrate CFA’s station was heavily impacted by flooding over the past couple of days.

Members of the station are still unable to access it due to the high water level in the facility.

The brigade has lost vehicles to the flood as well as memorabilia.

The brigade had petitioned since 2014 for a new lightweight land cruiser but was submerged as the waters rose in the station.

“We are a family at Wirrate and that’s the truth, it does feel like we’ve lost family members with losing our brigade,” Wirrate third lieutenant Jedd Dawe said.

“There’s a lot of history we’ve lost as well and we’ve been out in the community, helping the community as best we could but little did we know the community was going to have to help us out.”

Elsewhere, Discovery Parks’ Nagambie Lakes site was closed for access due to flooding.

It is understood while people staying there got out, some did lose their caravans and other possessions.

Nagambie residents are bracing for a significant clean up.

“I’ve had to mature very quickly in this instance … to try and hold my family together and our little community together,” Mr Dawe said.

“It’s a very hard thing for the whole community, just have our major meeting place gone overnight.”