Victorian storms - everyone ok?
 

Seeing some of the reports of the storms across Victoria prompts me to send best wishes to our Victorian Fodorites & hope you & yours are ok.

http://mountainwatch.com/Features/82...n-Snow-Resorts

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vic...-1225914253598

Libretto - aren't you out near Wangaratta somewhere?

Hi Bokhara - no, I've always lived in Melbourne.

All well with me and mine;I do have some friends in the Northeast, but the last I heard the King River near them has peaked? My BIL in Horsham is surrounded by water, but he and the other relatives are on higher ground, thank heavens.

Thank you for thinking about us... it's amazing coming on the back of such a terrible drought to now have such wide spread floods. We really are a "land of droughts and flooding rains" aren't we?

We sure are, Libretto. Glad you're ok.

I just heard from my friends in Christchurch & they're fine - a cracked chimney the only damage. Said they can't believe their cupboards didn't shake open & spread the contents everywhere, as the impact went on for what felt like minutes.

We camp often in the Howqua valley, which is just south of Mount Buller. Buller has seen about 6 inches of rain in the last few days, so the Howqua will have flooded. Normally where we cross, the river is no more than 18 inches deep – I think it would be over my head now.

Flows in the Howqua have been pretty poor over the last few years, and the flood will really sluice the river out – hopefully washing some of the cursed European carp down into Eildon. The shape of the river will have changed, and i suspect that one 200 year old gum tree near our camp will have fallen into the river. It will be interesting to see it when we next go there – probably at Melbourne Cup weekend.

We saw winds in Melbourne of about 100 km/hour. Our slate roof appears unscathed.

Cheers

Peter (who is looking forward to casting a fly or two in the river).

Our back fence is leaning a bit, but we're still earthbound. Glad to see others I know are ok too.