Residents in Melbourne’s west evacuate as floodwaters spread through Maribyrnong, Werribee

Homes in Melbourne’s west have been inundated with water, after suburban areas near the Maribyrnong and Werribee rivers were evacuated and emergency services used boats to rescue people trapped by the floods.

State Emergency Service operations officer Tim Wiebusch said about 100 properties in low-lying areas around the Maribyrnong township, Ascot Vale and Keilor had been flooded.

“The Werribee River has now been put on major flood alert, where we’re likely to see a peak this afternoon around 6pm with major flooding ensuing from around 2pm this afternoon,” he said.

“70 properties will come under threat, along with a local shopping strip.”

An evacuation order for Werribee Street and Watton Street, near the banks of the Werribee River has been downgraded.

A relief centre has been opened at the Wyndham Civic Centre.

A major flood warning has also been issued for the Yarra River, with the river set to peak at 9.2 metres at Heidelberg on Friday afternoon.

“Our flood emergency here in Victoria is continuing to escalate,” Mr Wiebusch said.

Major flooding is occurring around Victoria, with more than 500 homes damaged and a further 500 cut off by the immense flooding, the worst some parts of the state have experienced in five decades.

By midday, Premier Daniel Andrews said about 1,500 displaced Victorians had already applied for emergency payments to cover accommodation, food and medical costs

The Mickleham quarantine facility, which was opened during the pandemic, will be used as a crisis accommodation centre for 250 people, the government announced.

“This event has well and truly started and will run for a number of days, we won’t see peak levels of flood water for quite a while,” he said.

Across the state about 2,000 homes were without power on Friday evening.

River ‘swallowed the main esplanade’

Earlier, SES rescue boat crews spent the morning collecting people from their flooded homes around Maribyrnong, with some residents resorting to standing on their roofs and others holed up in multi-storey apartments.

Helicopter vision showed submerged cars, a pontoon floating down the river after being dislodged from its moorings, and water inundating nearby roads and buildings.

Police knocked on Matt Iozzi’s door in the early hours of this morning, telling him to leave his house immediately due to dangerous floods nearby.

“I packed an overnight bag, chucked it in my car, grabbed the passports and family photos,” he said. 

“I was actually shocked, the river has come up and completely swallowed the main esplanade street.”

“Everyone is in a state of ‘how is this actually happening?’.

“I spoke to a few neighbours, everyone was on their way out or planning to leave in the next 30 minutes after seeing how fast the water was rising.”

About 60 residents took refuge in the Maribyrnong Community Centre, where the Salvation Army, council workers and emergency services were providing food and support. 

Maribyrnong resident Antoinette Bufalino said floodwater was lapping at her street when she got a text about evacuating at 5am this morning.

As she left her two-storey home with a small amount of luggage, she was separated from her 13-year-old dog Rocco.

An SES member promised Ms Bufalino he would get Rocco, who weighs 40 kilograms, out safely.

As the pair were reunited this afternoon, Ms Bufalino cried.

“I’m rapt now that he’s here,” she said.

“They’re family, you just can’t leave them behind.”

She also revealed she had been told her home and car had been flooded.

Ms Bufalino said she was still processing that “everything’s just gone”.

High alert in Werribee as river goes ‘up and up’ 

Jenny Jenkinson lives in Cottrell Street next to the Werribee River and was earlier told by police to evacuate.

“I’ve lived here 15 years and this is the worst one [flood],” she said.

Ms Jenkinson said she was “taking it in her stride”.

“What will be, will be,” she said.

Paul, who also lives on Cottrell Street next to the Werribee River said the rising river was “intriguing”.

“It’s gradually gone up and up and up,” he said.

Hoppers Crossing residents Sam Sampson said he had never seen the the Werribee River so high after living in the area for three decades.

“I haven’t seen it this bad ever,” he said.

“It’s unbelievable really.”

Businesses near the river prepare

At Essendon Rowing Club on the banks of the Maribyrnong, Tamara was one of several people removing equipment on Friday morning.

“We’re having to move things out because things are starting to float,” she told the ABC.

“We’re expecting high tide around 7pm tonight, so yeah it’ll ease off but when it comes back the tide will push the water back upstream, so it’s not good.”

Tamara said the flooding reminded her of fleeing from a cyclone in 1998.

“You just got to keep your head together and do what you need to be safe,” she said.

Flood relief payments announced by government

Premier Daniel Andrews said Victorians needed to prepare for the impacts of the floods to last up to eight weeks.

“Please be aware of your circumstances, that’s how you make the very best decisions for your family and then by extension emergency services,” he said.

Mr Andrews said the state government was offering one-off flood relief payments of $560 per adult and $280 per child for those who had been forced out of their homes.

Payments can be applied for online or by calling 1800 226 226. 

Mr Andrews said it was possible further payments would be granted.

“It’s about getting people through that immediate challenge, where they’re not in their home because their home has been flooded,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“So it deals with food, shelter, medicines, things of that nature.”

The Victorian government has come to an agreement with the Commonwealth to reopen the COVID quarantine facility at Mickleham in Melbourne’s north to provide crisis accommodation to those affected by flooding.

“Work has begun on preparations to reopen the site for use early next week,” a state government spokesperson said.

“The facility will reopen with capacity of 250 places for six to eight weeks, however, actual use will depend on the emergency response and accommodation demand.”