Castlemaine State Emergency Service volunteers faced a demanding weekend of severe weather, responding to 10 requests for assistance. The impact was concentrated heavily in the Maldon and Tarrengower area, where a freak weather event caused significant destruction.
The most severe damage occurred at a property in the Treloars Road area. Local crews arrived to find a scene of devastation consistent with a ‘mini tornado’.
Accessing the property proved difficult for the volunteers, who had to clear a series of fallen trees that were blocking roads before they could reach the residence.
Once on site, crews found that the home had lost its entire roof, which had been deposited a considerable distance from the house. The force of the wind had snapped trees in a straight line stretching approximately 800 metres and scattered debris over a 250-metre radius.
While the home has unfortunately been rendered uninhabitable due to the extent of the damage, it was a relief to confirm that all residents escaped the incident without injury. Given the severity of the structural damage, SES crews were unable to conduct the usual temporary repairs, but assisted the homeowners in retrieving and moving essential belongings from the building.
Beyond the major incident in Tarrengower, Castlemaine SES volunteers worked alongside Mount Alexander Shire Council road crews to clear debris and reopen roads across the shire. A crew was also deployed to Hepburn Shire to assist the Daylesford SES Unit.
