WHEN Tracey Westhorpe established her new home decor business in Heathcote two-and-a-half years ago, she never believed the town would be so bereft of tourists in January.
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But that is the dilemma facing her and plenty of other traders in the central Victorian town.
Falling water levels in nearby Lake Eppalock are taking their toll in many Heathcote businesses and those in nearby towns, including Axedale and Knowsley.
Ms Westhorpe, who owns Flossy’s Home Decor, said no business appeared immune.
"We see Christmas (trade) as the icing on the cake," she said.
"It gets you through the quiet times.
"There hasn't been any icing this year - there hasn't even been any icing powder."
Ms Westhorpe commutes from Melbourne three times a week to run her business.
She has even take the step of buying an investment property in Heathcote to make the transition to life in the tight-knit town even easier.
Ms Westhorpe has received nothing but support from trader, a group of which gathered in the main street on Thursday to call for a cap on how much water can be taken from the lake.
“The locals say they appreciate what we are doing here; the guy from Ray White Real Estate came down to say this is exactly what we need in this town,” she said.
“I have a lot of the locals come in for coffee and a chat – we’re a bit of a meeting place for people.
"I even bought an investment property here thinking it was going to grow.
“The community is fantastic – and that is why I decided to close my shop and lend my voice to the campaign.
“Sadly other people just can’t afford to close their shops and do this.”
Lake Eppalock is managed by Goulburn Murray Water, but its water owned by a range of water entitlement holders, including irrigators, environmental water holders and urban water corporations.
It is currently at less than one third of its capacity.
Many in Heathcote blame environmental flows for the sorry state of the lake.
A Save Lake Eppalock group is continuing protest in a bid to get legislation changed so the lake volume can stay at a consistent level.
Heathcote Real Estate agent Leslie Ong said he was taken aback at the emptiness of Lake Eppalock during a visit between Christmas and New Year’s.
He said the impact on trade was glaring.
“People are going straight to Echuca and bypassing Heathcote,” he said.
“Eppalock has always been the big draw card to this area and it’s affecting confidence.”
