Federation Mayor, Cheryl Cook welcomed about 30 people to the forum where three of four speakers were there to present their views in relation to the study and were each given five minutes.
“I understand the angst in the community, and we are here to see what we can do,” Cr Cook said.
Yarrawonga Mulwala businessman John Baston was the first to speak and said the study and its recommendations were based on historic, inaccurate research.
He said the levels were predominantly based on a flood that took place in 1917, prior to the Hume or Yarrawong weirs being constructed, and therefore not relevant to 2025 flows in Murray River.
“The report states that the peak flood levels are presumed and could actually be 15 per cent lower than the 1917 presumed flow,” Mr Baston said.
“Data within the report shows the capability of a possible peak discharge rate of 345,000 megalitres a day at Yarrawonga Weir at a flood level of 125.8.
“This is 100,000 megalitres per day above any measured flow rate since 1917, and none of these estimates allow for any extra discharge by two irrigation channels.
“The report also states Mulwala is at low risk of flood due to the control flows, so in basic terms, these assumed flood levels are based on unreliable and poor data.”
Mr Baston said not only would future developments become unviable, but existing homes and businesses would become uninsurable and unsaleable due to being built in a flood zone implemented by the Federation Council.
“The elected council has been entrusted by rate payers to act on our behalf and advocate for us to provide stable governments,” he said.
“Neither of these things appear to have been considered … I call on Federation Council, as a ratepayer, a business owner and homeowner, to pause the implementation of this policy until proper and diligent consideration can be undertaken using factual history, correct data and some degree of common sense to review this catastrophic damage its implementation in its current form will cause.
“I also suggest that such important changes be communicated to ratepayers directly, not left the chance that we stumble across it.
“At no point from November 2024, when we started our proceedings with the council, until our permit was refused was any reference made or advice given to us in regards to new flood levels.”
The forum’s second speaker was Bronwyn Thomas from Mulwala.
Ms Thomas told councillors the success of the flood plan hinged on genuine community engagement, technical transparency, clear communication and a strong peer review process.
“A robust peer review process is essential to ensure the technical credibility of the modelling and the mapping,” she said.
“Independent expert review can identify potential gaps, refine assumptions and validate the modelling outputs against historical records and lived experiences.
Ms Thomas noted the council had multiple community engagement opportunities but questioned whether there were letters in the mail to the ratepayers, the key industry stakeholders, the builders, the local businesses, the real estate agents within the study areas.
The final speaker was Mulwala builder, Jack Riches, who was the third generation in his family to live in Mulwala with no living memory of the town flooding.
He said he was aware of a project builder who had pulled out of five jobs because of the flood level.
“It’s just crippling,” Mr Riches said.
“It’s crippling the real estate industry; people who can't afford the rent and the insurance are going to try and leave.
“(Building) activity will go down probably 50 per cent if this isn't changed.
“I've had four or five different inquiries, and soon as I mentioned the flood level, they just walked out.
“I’m not joking; this is what's happening.”
