“I just feel numb”: Residents return to assess damage of flood

Residents in the state’s North are preparing to return to damaged homes, vessels have broken free of their moorings and deceased animals have washed up. Read latest on the raging flood waters plaguing the north of the state.

Mel Rooke inspects her home. Flooding at Latrobe. Picture: Grant Viney

Residents of Railton Rd, Latrobe should be able to return to their homes over the weekend to see how much damage raging flood waters have caused.

Some properties were completely surrounded by floodwaters on Friday, while others sat isolated on “islands” of grass.

Further downstream in Devonport, two vessels broke their moorings in the Mersey River as floodwaters brought dead animals and silage bales to the coast.

A dead bull which washed up on the beach at the mouth of the river was removed by an excavator.

Bull has washed up on an East Devonport beach.Picture: Grant Viney

In Twiss St, Latrobe homeowners returned when flood waters receded on Friday afternoon.

Just hours earlier, resident Mel Rooke said she felt numb as she waited to access her house to see if it had been inundated to the scale it had just six years ago.

Local residents Julie Lunson and Mel Rooke of Latrobe. Flooding at Latrobe. Picture: Grant Viney

Ms Rooke went to the evacuation centre in Latrobe on Thursday night but returned at daylight to see how her historic cottage had fared.

Her parrot, cat and dog were in her car and her goats up the road in a drier paddock.

“I just feel numb. The water is too deep for me to get in yet to see what the damage is. We had to demolish the back of the house and rebuild after the 2016 floods,” she said.

“We have done waterproofing so we will see if it has helped and then decide later if we will stay here or not. I love this house and this community but going through this again would be too much.”

Mel Rooke inspects her home. Flooding at Latrobe. Picture: Grant Viney

Further up the street Julie Lunson stayed in her cottage overnight.

After the 2016 flood the Lunsons decided to stay in the house they love and jack it up by 750ml in case of another flood emergency.

The strategy worked.

Latrobe Mayor Peter Freshney said believed the floodwaters had peaked before noon and he was right.

“The flood gauge at Kimberley is plateauing and so far the water is not as high as 2016,” Mr Freshney said at 10am Friday.

In that year Latrobe’s Main Street was underwater and 120 rescues were carried out as people scrambled onto their roofs in low lying areas of the town

‘Some animals may have been lost’: Flood tears through wildlife park

There are fears some animals may have perished at Wings Wildlife Park after it was badly flooded on Thursday.

Ian Walller from the park said the Walloa Creek which flows through the park has flooded causing significant damage to the cafe and wildlife infrastructure.

“Within hours the creek rose over three metres caused by floating tree branches and stumps in the creek creating a dam,” he said.

Flood tears through Wings Wildlife Park. Picture: Facebook

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“The consequence has been devastating for the park.”

Initial checks confirm the buildings have been damaged, stock in the retail store has been lost.

“We can confirm the majority of animals are safe and well but initial assessments confirm some enclosures have been damaged and it is likely some animals may have been lost.”

Flood tears through Wings Wildlife Park. Picture: Facebook

“The members of the Wings family and all the park staff are well and accounted for but are all devastated and will now need time to assess the future of this amazing family experience and how they can move forward from yet another devastating event.

“The park will remain closed for an indefinite period and any decisions regarding the future operation of the park will be shared with members of the community as soon as possible.”