Grey nomads and other campers have been evacuated from a popular campsite along the Murray River as floodwaters rise.
Water has spilt over a levee bank blocking off access to basic facilities at Ulupna Island in Barmah National Park. The island is bounded by the Murray River and Ulupna Creek.
The SES has advised people to find a safer location to camp.
The Age newspaper reports that the Country Fire Authority was called in about midday to support Victorian State
Emergency Service crews sandbagging the levee near the Ulupna Island Bridge, which is the only road in and out of the island.
A relief centre has been set up at the Numurkah Showgrounds.
Shepparton incident controller Michael Masters told the Age that 30 people have been advised to evacuate from the spot on the southern side of the Victorian and New South Wales border.
Mr Masters said there was about 30 centimetres of water over Ulupna Bridge Road just before 2pm.
“Quite soon access to the island will be impossible,” he told the Age. “It’s in their best interests to get off the island because if not they’ll be stuck there for a week.”
Mr Masters said hundreds of residents from towns along the Murray River have banded together to sandbag a 116 kilometre stretch of the river.
The Age reports that water along the Murray River system will continue to move west towards Echuca and Swan Hill.
• Are you camping near the Murray River? Have you been affected by rising floodwaters? Comment below.
