Murrindindi Shire Council

Most of the Murrindindi Shire is hilly with some major mountains within the area, making
some areas vulnerable to flash flooding after heavy rain in the steep upper catchments.

The major water course travelling through the Murrindindi Shire area is the Lower Goulburn River from Lake Eildon (near Eildon township) to Trawool near Seymour. The Yea River, Murrindindi River, Boundary Creek, Acheron River, Rubicon River and King Parrot Creek are other waterways in this section of the Goulburn River catchment.

Lake Eildon (often referred to as Eildon Weir) is located on the eastern boundary of the Shire. Built in 1956, it controls most water flows of the Upper Goulburn River for irrigation. Although not designed for flood mitigation, it has reduced the impact and frequency of minor to moderate flooding along the Lower Goulburn River

The Goulburn River floodplain between Eildon and Trawool starts to experience localised flooding in low-lying areas along the river floodplain when the Goulburn River reaches minor flood level.

Yea township holds Murrindindi Shire’s longest history of flooding, including significant flood events from the Yea River in 1934, 1974, 1989, 1996 and 2010. The 1934 then 1974 floods are known to be the town’s largest with 1989‘s flood being the highest recorded at 4.30m at Devlin’s Bridge gauge.

In the Yea area:

• Flash flooding can occur after very heavy rain or thunderstorms at any time of year

• Flooding often happens within the township due to overland flows as floodwater travels across the land, along roads and across rural farmland

• The fast-flowing Yea River and Murrindindi River can result in floodwater reaching Yea in about 12 hours

• Flooding often lasts from 1-3 days in the township, longer in low-lying or rural areas

• Significant flooding in Yea also accompanies widespread flooding of farmland along the Yea River and Frogponds area and usually results in damage to rural properties and the closing of the Goulburn Valley Highway in several places

• The Yea Caravan Park has often been affected during floods.

Are you at risk of flood?

The Yea River, Murrindindi River and Boundary Creek are in the upper part of the Goulburn Rivercatchment, within the Goulburn-Broken flood warning area.

The Yea and Murrindindi Rivers are fast flowing mountain streams where floodwater can reach Yea in about 12 hours making local knowledge about floods very important.

The Yea River travels from steep terrain in the Toolangi, Mount Tanglefoot, Murrindindi and Glenburn State Forest areas. The river passes along the northern edge of town, joining the Goulburn River about ten kilometres west of Yea.

The Murrindindi River starts in the steep catchments of the MurrindindiToolangi State Forest (with a high average rainfall of over two metres per year) and joins the Yea River ten kilometres south of Yea near Frogponds Road.

Boundary Creek also travels through steep terrain along Whittlesea-Yea Road then along the western side of town, joining the Yea River near the railtrail.

The map to the right shows the expected flooding in a 1% flood in Yea. A 1% flood means there is a 1% chance of a flood measuring 4.75 metres on the Court Street gauge at Yea.