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Stephen Mattner manages the local caravan park in the regional Victorian town of Rochester.
He's begun picking up the pieces after floods passed through his community.
"When the flood levels peaked, obviously we were sort of a bit worried about water coming through camp kitchens and this and that. Luckily it didn't get into the camp kitchen, just trickled in there a little bit. So a mop and bucket fixed that. But we had a lot of debris I suppose to clean up and still to clean up. All the pillars, the power pillars for the caravans, most of them went underwater, so electrician's coming in to sort them out. Mud in the shed - apart from that roadworks and debris to sort out and fix up."
Bri McPherson is from the Bureau of Meteorology.
She says January's rain broke records, with more than 180 mm falling in some regional areas.
"The first nine days of January in 2024 have been the wettest first nine days of January that we've had for the state on record, and those records go back to about 1900.... So quite a significant event that we've just had."
Mayor of Campaspe Rob Amos says many local businesses have been impacted by flooding.
"You could really feel the relief in the community that it was nowhere near as bad and it was less than what was predicted. In fact I was talking to the owner of the IGA in town, and just the fact of them closing their business for one day. They've they've got all the employees that still need to be paid. That's thousands of dollars of trade that they miss out on for that day. So these events do have real effects on businesses."
For some residents - like Sam Vecchio, the head chef and owner of The Winery Kitchen in the regional town of Seymour - this weather has brought back unpleasant memories, like the floods that hit the area in 2022.
"Obviously I went into panic mode because in 22 we lost everything. I spent four hours standing out on the road looking at the water going up and up. It only got to within a metre of the doors, but in 22 we had a metre inside the restaurant. Thinking back to that time because actually, at the moment, I am seeing a psychologist because I'm just having mental issues still coping with that. And I just went into total meltdown - because if we had lost everything again, that's it; I wouldn't have come back."
But the emergency isn't quite over.
While the focus for some areas is on cleaning up, in some towns, they're still on alert for flooding as water moves downstream.
Residents in warning zones are being encouraged to make sure they have sufficient supplies.
In Mooropna, a town on the banks of the Goulburn River, some families have spent time moving what they can to higher ground as they wait for confirmation on how much the water is expected to rise there.
State Emergency Service chief Tim Wiebusch says the message is to always listen to local advice.
"So for those communities in and around Kialla, Shepparton and Moroopna, now is the time to act be alert to your conditions. We have gone up to around 300 properties in those areas to alert them to the fact that there may be flooding in and around their properties and streets. At this stage, we are only expecting a very small number, less than a dozen of properties that may see some direct impacts in and around those homes. But there will be extensive flooding in some of the streets in those communities."
Tim Wiebush says listening to local advice includes NOT driving through floodwaters.
He says there's been at least 52 flood rescues since the emergency began.
Mr Wiebusch says about half of those were triggered by people driving on flooded roads and becoming stuck in their cars.
"Right across regional Victoria in the north of the state and also in Gippsland. We do have a range of minor flooding that is impacting local roads in particular. And we would ask people to go to the Vic traffic website before you undertake your journey to make sure that you know what roads are open and closed. Do not attempt to drive through floodwaters if you do come across floodwaters on the roads."
Meanwhile Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has visited Melbourne's emergency centre to discuss disaster relief as some towns shift focus to recovery.
Mr Albanese has paid tribute to those affected by the flooding, and promised federal help.
"Today we've signed off on a commitment to provide further support to Victorians as a result of this flood event that continues to unfold, support in terms of the emergency and hardship payments being made to individuals and families to assist communities in their time of need, but also support for local councils who are doing the work on the ground to make that communities can be made more resilient. At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character. And we're seeing that from people at this centre, but importantly as well, we're seeing it from people on the ground."
