News

Floods hit farms

By Geoff Adams

Oct 16, 2022

Some of the sheep had to be physically hauled through the wet paddocks to get them to safety.

Two farmers plunged into floodwaters while rescuing their flock of 220 White Suffolk cross sheep at Karramomus on Friday.

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The flock became trapped in the rising waters of Seven Creeks on October 14, so John Gagiano, his wife Zoi and father-in-law Peter Warren set about trying to move the sheep to a much higher, safer paddock.

The family has been on the property for only 18 months and this flood is the biggest challenge they have faced.

Weighed down by full fleeces (the sheep had been due to be shorn about the time the heavy rain started), the sheep were reluctant to move through the wet depressions, so John and Zoi and their three kelpies had to urge, encourage, push and literally drag the sheep to safety.

Fatigued by having to swim across the deepest parts, a number of them gave up and collapsed into the rain sodden paddock.

John and Zoi plunged into the water and hauled the stragglers out until the entire flock had been successfully moved.

“I do love my sheep,” Zoi confessed to Country News.

The family later checked and found the flock was recovering in a new paddock and had returned to grazing.

Zoi said their farm neighbours had been terrific, warning them about the rising floodwaters and offering to help out.