In a small town, just south of Murray Bridge, a community is working day and night to help save a family's dairy farm from the rising River Murray.
Ian Mueller and his family have been producing milk at their Riverglen farm for more than 20 years.
If their 240 hectares of land were to flood, it could cost them their livelihoods.
"We could be out of action for about 12 months before we can grow any pastures on it," he said.
"If we can hold out, that will allow us to continue to graze here and keep milking our cows the way we've been doing it for years."
With the support of neighbours and relatives, the Muellers are now in the fight of their lives, with around 190 to 220 gigalitres of water a day expected to hit nearby Murray Bridge in just over a week.
"We're probably up to 30-to-35,000 tonnes of clay that we have put on this levee bank," Mr Mueller said.
"And we're still carting."
The community, which all live on the same flood plain, have doubled the size of the 5-kilometre long private levee, in both width and height over the last couple of months.
The mission could save more than 500 hectares of land from being completely inundated by water.
Some residents have raced to snatch up much-needed sandbags and others have lent their cement trucks to speed up the process of filling them.
The clay, which the levee is predominantly made of, is being taken from the Muellers' own quarry.
"We've probably got close to a metre to go before the water overtops the levee," Mr Mueller said.
"I'm pretty proud of what we've been able to do here with this one."
"But nature is a very powerful force and it's more powerful than what our community here at Riverglen is."
On New Year's Day, the group of locals worked from 10am to 8pm, filling up hundreds of sandbags that are being used to shore up weaker parts of the levee.
Stuart Padman has kept horses next to the Muellers for decades, and said he did not hesitate to offer a hand.
"Now that my irrigation is out because I don't have any power, I've got no stock water," Mr Padman said.
"So the Muellers have kindly said, 'hook into our line'."
"If they didn't, I'd have to move all the horses and my trees would all die."
Mr Padman said they were determined to do everything possible to hold the water back, no matter the cost.
"The levee may be compromised but you have got to do your best to try to stop it," he said.
"Ian's working day and night to try and stop it."
Even if the levee holds, Mr Mueller believes it would be hard for their community to bounce back from such a difficult period all by itself.
"It wouldn't surprise me if all the land holders here could be spending $300,000 to $400,000 on [the levee]," Mr Mueller said.
"Any government support, we would be grateful to have."
