FLOODING across the Bogan Shire has caused havoc for students returning to school for the commencement of Term 4. 

For Nyngan High School year 12 student Amy Motley, the start of HSC exams last week came with a few additional pressures caused by rising floodwater at her home “Gerar” north of Nyngan. 

A week before Amy’s first HSC exam it became clear the family homestead was about to become isolated so she packed her school books and took up residence in a cabin at the Riverside Tourist Park in Nyngan. 

The decision proved a wise one when more than 100 millimetres of rain deluged the property and combined with floodwater from the creeks to turn “Gerar” and thousands of hectares of the surrounding Bogan Shire into an inland sea. 

Amy’s mother Jacqui and brother Nick were picked up by SES helicopter on the first day of the school term and have joined Amy at the Riverside Tourist Park, whilst her father Dave keeps things in hand at home, making use of his small plane and relatively dry air strip to get about. 

Amy is one of 19 year 12 students at Nyngan High School sitting the HSC exams, and has two other classmates who have temporarily moved into town to escape floodwaters. 

Despite the upheaval, Amy said the first English exam was easier than she was anticipating. She still had part two of English, as well as maths, Community and Family Studies, Dance, and Primary Industries to go, but was feeling confident. 

“I’m doing a traineeship at the Early Learning Centre as well, and so have been working there throughout year 11 and 12,” she said. 

Nyngan High School student Amy Motley has moved to Nyngan for the duration of her HSC. 

The SES helicopter was also called to ferry other stranded school students during the week. 

Bruce and Kate Yabsley’s property “Murrawombie” sits at the junction of the Bogan River and the Duck creeks and was almost completed inundated at the beginning of the school term. 

The SES helicopter brought out a much-anticipated load of groceries and gave Sophie, year 11, and Tom, year 8, a lift to Nyngan on the return journey. 

“If they didn’t go then, we could possibly have had to wait weeks given the forecast,” Kate said. 

The SES Helicopter at Murrawombie near Nyngan.

Recent rain has produced another rise on the Bogan River, which the four-metre point on the river height gauge for a second time in a fortnight in Nyngan over the weekend. 

Meanwhile in the north of the Bogan Shire the tributaries of the Macquarie down stream of Warren were causing major riverine flooding and forcing the closure of roads, including the school bus route and keeping younger children at home. 

With water levels now the highest since the major floods of 2010/11 and more rain predicted, it is uncertain when life will return to normal for these families.