Huntly resident says housing development has put him at risk of flood

One resident says a housing estate opposite his house has increased the amount of water flowing through his property.

Russell Harrison built his home on Buckley's Lane with wife Mary in 2016, but said he had never seen water like what the couple had experienced in the last 12 months.

"When they started digging and breaking the ground (on the housing development), that's when more water came across," Mr Harrison said.

A City of Greater Bendigo spokesperson said water movement from the Wellsford Estate - opposite Mr Harrison's property - remained largely unchanged.

"Observed overland flows coming from this site are considered to be largely representative of those which would have occurred prior to development of this estate commencing," city presentation and assets director Brian Westley, said.

But Mr Harrison said a $10,000 easement, which he funded as part of the 2016 build, was now incapacitated whenever heavy rain hit including the Huntly flood event in early 2024.

He said the easement had worked "quite well" to divert water before the works began.

"All [the easement] does is move the flow of the water across," Mr Harrison said.

"And when they started pulling the drainage across the road there, they pumped the mud straight into the easement ... they filled it up."

This meant that water "from the bottom of the front fence right across to the other side" regularly filled his property, Mr Harrison said.

He was also concerned his property's septic system could become a "bio-hazard" during a flood event.

Mr Westley said flood modelling and drainage plans were submitted to council as part of the Wellsford Estate development application with new infrastructure planned.

"Approved drainage plans for this estate identify that all stormwater generated therein is to be directed to the Bendigo Creek via a detention basin and associated pump station to be located in the north-western area of the development site," he said.

"This infrastructure is still under construction and is anticipated to be completed over the next 12 to 18 months, prior to any residential development on the site being permitted."

Mr Harrison said he was assured the pumping station would mean he "shouldn't see any more water on [the] property," an assurance he rejected.

"You can't stop water," Mr Harrison said.

"If they are going to pump it from here down to the creek ... where's the water going to go?"

While water had never entered his house during a flood, Mr Harrison said he had spent around $4000 on flood repairs for the property.

"It was about six inches deep in the shed down there," he said.

"Plus the loss of our trees. We have got to go and buy those trees to replace them."

Mr Harrison had no plans to pack up and move on, despite the financial burden.

"I'm not going to move. Why should I move? It is my property," he said.

Meanwhile, another resident has launched a change.org campaign which called on the City of Greater Bendigo to stop development approvals south of Huntly until Back Creek is dredged.

"The City of Greater Bendigo has been approving developments south of Huntly ... without considering the flooding impact on Huntly and Epsom residents," the campaign read.

"Back Creek, which has flooded six times in the past 14 years, has not been dredged for years, leading to sediment build-up and reduced water flow which has resulted in flooding for both new and existing properties."

The campaign has an online petition running to stop the developments.

Mr Harrison said he appreciated council's presence at a recent Huntly flood information drop in, but was concerned about involved parties taking responsibility in the future.

"Once they're finished with their development over there, who takes responsibility for all of this?" he said.

"Somebody has got to stand up and say, 'yep, we're responsible for fixing it'."