Residents in tiny communities along the Murray River are preparing for the worst as rising water levels threaten homes and farmland.
In the New South Wales town of Goodnight, north-west of Swan Hill, an evacuation warning has been issued for people living along Pevensey Lane and Etona Lane.
Further upstream in Tooleybuc, there is a Watch and Act alert for Murray Street, Cadell Street, Lea Street and Tooleybuc Road, where residents have been told to prepare for potential evacuation.
Both towns have been working around the clock filling sandbags and protecting homes amid the warnings.
On the other side of the river, communities remain alert with various Watch and Act warnings in place between Swan Hill and Barham, continuing south-east along the Murray to Echuca.
Goodnight resident Peter Gathercole, who lives in the evacuation zone, said three homes were at risk of flooding.
Despite some concern in the community, Mr Gathercole said he had decided to remain at his property after defence force troops helped to sandbag it.
"We're pretty hopeful and we can hang in here, but obviously we will be patrolling the sandbags the whole time and doing whatever we can," he said.
"If the water comes up higher we can stack the sandbags up more and we can reinforce it so it doesn't fall over.
"Your emotions fluctuate from the different news you hear [but] if the bags hold here we will be right"
Tooleybuc residents warned
At Tooleybuc residents have been building defences around low-lying properties along the Murray River.
The two towns boast a combined population of around 400 people, many of whom have congregated on the river banks with shovel in hand.
Tooleybuc resident Dennis Moon's house is among those at risk of flooding.
He said it was hard to know whether to stay or go.
"There's not a lot of information on what the river's likely to do here, because there's so many variables," he said.
Nonetheless, Mr Moon waterproofed his property and was preparing to leave.
"Over the last week it's got to a level that we never expected to see it, and we don't know what the next week has got in store," he said.
"People are worried."
Mr Moon's neighbour Alex Norton said he had no plans to leave if it floods.
"I'll probably stay," he said.
"My family will probably go to Swan Hill."
Despite the urgency, he said there remained a level of calm in the town.
"If it gets another 100 or 200 millimetres higher, I think there might be a little bit of panic," he said
"But if we're prepared, I think we'll be right."
Dead fish found, poor water quality expected
Meantime, concerns over water quality have again been raised after dead and dying cod were spotted along the Murray River.
Victoria's Environment Protection Authority said it was conducting water testing in numerous locations after low oxygen levels were detected in the river.
Adjunct Professor at Charles Sturt University Darren Baldwin said he expected to see "incredibly poor" water quality in the coming days.
"It's a bit of watching a train wreck," Dr Baldwin said.
He said fish kills had been noted in the Loddon River, Gunbower Creek and Broken Creek.
