Forbes: ‘waiting game’ as flood waters rise

It is small comfort to farmers that vast areas of unharvested crops have significantly slowed the floodwaters threatening Forbes, probably helping to save parts of the town.

Ron Stace on the flooded family farm on the outskirts of Forbes. Picture: Gary Ramage

As floodwaters slowly encroach on the outskirts of the central west NSW town of Forbes, farmers are already counting the cost, with many losing their entire crop for the season.

It’s small comfort that vast areas of unharvested crops have significantly slowed the floodwaters, probably helping to save parts of the town.

The SES issued a “partial all clear” notice on Wednesday but authorities are warning locals not to let their guard down.

Forbes locals woke to the rising flood waters at 10.35m at the iron bridge on the city outskirts. Picture: Gary Ramage

At 3pm on Wednesday, the flood reached 10.46m. A spokesman from the Bureau of Meteorology said it might peak at 10.55m on Wednesday evening, just shy of the 10.67m mark of the 2016 floods, where one person died.

“The flood risk is not nearly as serious as it was 24 hours ago, based on revised forecasts of water levels,” SES spokesman David Rankine said. “It’s not too much further to rise – it’s pretty much at or near its peak,” he said.

With school cancelled, children were outside splashing around. Forbes locals Abi, 8, and Angus Bembrick, 5, were playing in the floodwaters in a street near the Iron Bridge, which passes over the Lachlan River.

They had slept at their Nan’s house so they wouldn’t miss out on seeing the floods.

Abi’s school was closed on Tuesday so she is looking forward to watching the flood for the next few days with her brother. “It’s ­really exciting. I’m teaching Angus how to splash,” she said.

She said when you’re almost 400km from the coast, flooding was “like being at the beach”.

While the town of Forbes ­appears to have missed the severe flooding, it is clear farms nearby have not been as lucky.

Forbes local Kerry Walker, with her daughters Iris, 13, and Audrey, 12, were out late on Tuesday evening inspecting the rising waters levels. Picture: Gary Ramage

Just a few kilometres outside town, Ron Stace inspected what was left of a wheat crop with his partner, Lyn Tudgey, and her daughter Jess.

Mr Stace was going to harvest in two weeks. Now there’s almost nothing untouched by the flood.

The stock transport driver and farmer estimates he had lost about $50,000 worth of crop. “It’s part of being on the river though.”

Standing on a dry patch on the 50ha farm, Ms Tudgey said the impact was devastating.

“It’s stress for Ron and the boys because they put a lot of work into it and then it’s just nothing.

“You plant your crop in June and you don’t expect the worst is going to happen. You just do it again – that’s what farmers are like. You do it again.”

Flooding is still so widespread in some areas of the central west it’s impossible to access by road to see the damage. Collectively, the damage in the region is estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars, with that figure set to rise in the next couple of days.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting showers and storms from Friday, with 10-25mm expected on Sunday.