Rising From The Floods: Echuca-Moama
The sun was shining into my eyes as I stepped off the train into Echuca station. Glancing around, I took into the beauty of quaint brick architecture married with expansive space.
Old fashioned wooden stairs lay just beyond the gate to my left. Hiking my bag up my shoulders, I strode towards it. My destination was The Georgian Motor Lodge, a well-reviewed accommodation in the area that I had been lucky to snag before it was booked out.
My weekend getaway to Echuca was a celebratory one to mark the start of my new life. That is, a life beyond my old job. I was at the tail end of my one month notice and was about to return my laptop and building pass the Monday after. With no career plans beyond that, it was to be an exciting plunge into the vast unknown. This was my attempt to embrace a #YOLO outlook on life.
Echuca was as different to Melbourne as it could get. A regional town next to the border of Victoria, it is twinned with Moama on the New South Wales side. They are separated by the Murray River, the middle of which historically also served as the border between Victoria and New South Wales.
Echuca is known for its rich history in colonial settler life. I, however, learnt of it only during the 2022 floods that saw it under siege from rising water levels. It was with trepidation I saw the constant evacuation orders being thrust upon the town, first as the Campaspe River flooded and again as the Murray River flooded.
Echuca still bears the scars of the floods. At the Murray River, a height indicator marks out historical water levels. Standing on a ramp leading down into the river, it is overwhelming to realise that, had this been last year, I’d have been under water.
Along the river, gum trees remain partially submerged, miraculously still alive. Notices placed along the banks of the river by the NSW management team show signs of wear, with many of the notices clearly having been replaced. The water levels still look higher than it was before, as some signs remain partially submerged.
Despite the disaster that struck last year, the town has made incredible efforts to rebuild itself. Horse carriages and paddleboats carry tourists eager to experience what Echuca has to offer, injecting tourism dollars into the local economy. Along the river’s banks, a blacksmith’s shop sells engraved horseshoes that I was highly tempted to purchase. Another sold salt from the Murray River, which I did purchase. Further inland, the Echuca Chocolate Company brings amazing chocolates into the experience, with creamy milk chocolate that won over this dark chocolate lover.
Perhaps my most poignant experience during the trip was Moama Lights 2023, which was held in Horseshoe Lagoon. Walking through the incredible lights paired with recorded narrations that gave a sense of place, it is easy to forget that this entire area was under water last year. That is, until a sudden bout of rain fell upon us towards the end of my walk, contrary to the forecast for the day. Lulled into a false sense of security amidst the visual wonder that surrounded us, the stark reminder of the rains last year made for a jarring confrontation on the fragility of human endeavours.
I left with certitude that we should never get complacent about our place amidst nature.
