Storms and flash-flooding kept residents and emergency responders busy during the weekend.
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Willaura experienced some of the worst weather in the shire, with a flash-flood on Saturday, January 2, causing water to cover much of Main Street.
Willaura Bakery's Peter Sporton said the bakery narrowly avoided flooding.
"It was Saturday afternoon where we got quite a deluge of rain fall in a short period of time," he said.
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"The drains just couldn't handle it and got clogged up.
"It didn't get inside the shop thankfully. I was very lucky, I got out and cleared the drains.
Victorian State Emergency Services (VICSES) recorded four requests for service in Willaura and nine in Ararat between Friday, January 1, and today (Monday, January 4).
The majority of requests in Ararat were traffic hazards caused by fallen trees.
The VICSES Ararat Unit responded to all these requests for service, as well as supporting VICSES Stawell Unit with some of the 24 requests for service they received.
Victoria State Emergency Service Mid West regional duty officer Jarrod McLean praised Ararat Unit's contributions.
"The Ararat Unit has been so supportive of other units in the last week, helping with their jobs," he said
"It's always a difficult time of year with people going away, but Ararat has done an amazing job, getting people out to every job that they've had.
"They also went down to Willaura two or three times."
Mr Sporton said he had not experienced flooding on a similar level in Willaura. But said he "got told by some locals that before the drainage systems were improved the bakery used to flood above the windows.
"We've got a crop of sunflowers out the front of the nature strip, and it covered them, and more people have been wanting to know if they have survived. But the sunflowers are alive and well."
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