River gauges new path with rocks through paddocks

Dairy farmers Michael and Judy Perkins have been left wondering how they will move the rocks that were dumped on two of their paddocks after the river cut a new path during the June floods.

A photo the couple took of Mrs Perkins standing in the middle of one of the paddocks completely covered in rocks has been shared widely on social media.

Mr Perkins said the force of the water was terrifying.

“It hit us so hard here at Latrobe, it was like a tsunami when it came through," he said.

Other properties further up the river have also borne the brunt of nature’s force, with the river forcing its way over the original banks.

“Wherever the curves were in the river it has changed direction and went straight ahead, it’s cut a new track through a lot of people’s properties,” Mr Perkins said.

In addition to the river rocks, the Perkins farm lost 50 head of cattle, the best of their genetic breeding program, water troughs and damage to water infrastructure and soil.

“It’s taken beautiful soil and turned it into a rock quarry.”

“We have no idea how to get rid of all the rocks, my son estimated there was about 5000 tonnes in one paddock and the other paddock is twice as big,” he said.

The damage is expected to cost about $500,000. The river runs through the middle of the Shale Road property and completely inundated the farm.

“We didn’t think it was going to be too bad [the damage] until the water went down and we found all the rocks,” Mr Perkins said.

One paddock was used for pasture and the other was leased to a farmer to grow seed potatoes.

Luckily the seed potatoes had been harvested a fortnight before the floods. Mr Perkins said he his insurance didn’t cover the damage sustained as he didn’t have flood damage. He said he hoped answers would be forthcoming about why Latrobe was hit so hard.

“I think those answers will start to be demanded soon...people have a right to know what really happened,” he said.

The river banks will need to be restored and the rocks put back where they came from, but Mr Perkins estimates at least a year to repair.