The alarm went off at 8:30am this morning but the movement of the bins woke us up before that. We headed off to the dentist at 11:00am and Russ received a good bill of health fr4om Dr Faisal.

After pleasant goodbyes and wishes for safe travel from Rita (the receptionist) we headed into town and stopped to take some photos of the murals before going to fuel up the car and collecting some supplies from IGA.

Once back at the van Russ and I took down the awning, and while Russ re-packed the back of the car with the camping stove and table, I headed over to the laundry to wash sheets, doona cover and some clothes.

It bucketed down during the night and there was a stiff breeze blowing for most of the day. We had two light showers before lunch time and then the sun came out. I got all the washing dried and put away.

Russ cleaned the ensuite while I remade the bed, and once he had finished I washed the floor.

One of the guys who is staying here at the park very kindly put the sheets etc into the machine he had used and turned it on for me, which

was a very kind thing to do, and I thanked him very much. I was glad it was the sheets as I wash in cold water, and he had left it on hot/cold cycle which would never have done if it had been the clothes.

ON my way back to collect the clothes to put on the line I spent some time in conversation with Judy and her husband, Bob. They are heading north and had been advised to get any information about wildflowers off Shirley when they got to the caravan park. The only problem with that was that Shirley was off sick.

I explained to them where we had found wildflowers, especially how to get to the wreath flowers that Judy has never seen, and also warned them that the snakes were out and active. They both agreed it was a day they would wear socks and sneakers, not the thongs they had on at that time.

I spoke to Jeannie later in the afternoon, and also Brett. However, the line was so terrible to Brett that the conversation was almost incomprehensible so I told him I would ring him back later in the week. Mildura has had just over 60mm of rain in the last seven days, and they are expecting more during this week.

I have the Vic Emergency app on my phone, and it has been pinging almost nonstop with warnings about flood levels for various towns, and also the flooding incidents as they happen in Mildura.

Some of the flooding across the roads are in our neighbourhood, but not in our street as yet. However, Brett says the patio had a great deal of water on it and he will have to provide kitty litter for the cats as their toilet area is flooded.

The photo I took in Moora of one of the murals depicts the flood in Moora in 1999. In the early hours of 21 March 1999, Moora was devastated by floods, regarded as a ‘one in three-hundred-year flood’.

The swiftness of the raging, muddy waters caught the town and surrounding district by surprise. Extensive damage to homes and businesses resulted in the townsfolk being evacuated to Noalimba Hostel in Perth.

The mural portrays the extent of the water. It is also a testament to all those who helped, supported, gave donations, created goodwill, comradeship and community survival of all concerned.

Moora was unfortunately affected by two further floods on 28 May and 16 August of the same year. The mural on the wall of the Home Hardware business was painted by R Smith from a photograph taken by Greg Reilly.

The second mural I took photos of was at Federation Park. This one is dedicated to the farm horses and the cattle dogs who were such an essential part of the early life of the pioneers.

Federation Park is located on the site of the original Moora Dam, steeped in horse tradition. The Dam was the only watering point for horses and provided an essential service for residents who used Moora as their railhead and business centre during the horse and cart era.

There are also bronze statues of the farm horse and the cattle dog in the park near the mural.