'Wake up to climate change', Windsor flood victim warns governments

The flood - which reached 13.8 metres high at Windsor bridge, the highest flood since the 1978 flood hit 14.46 metres - came on to Ms Marashian's property via her backyard which borders South Creek and crept 1.5 metres up the walls of the bottom level of her home.

She hadn't yet tallied-up how much damage has been done to her property but she estimated it was "thousands and thousands", including expensive art supplies and paintings, children's toys, mattresses and furniture.

"It happened very quickly," Ms Marashian told the Gazette, as she was clearing-out her flood-damaged belongings on Monday (March 14).

Nothing the water touched could be saved, except the bamboo flooring of her home.

"It's not worth the mould," she said.

Ms Marashian left her home last Wednesday when she received the 'prepare to evacuate' notice from the local SES, however she didn't think the water would get beyond her back door.

"The water came from both directions," she said.

"When I got back, it looked like I was robbed. This torrent of water had come in and knocked everything over."

Ms Marashian can't afford to pay the insurance premiums to live in a flood zone - around $20,000-$30,000 per year - so she will rely on whatever government assistance she can secure to help her get back on track.

Among the larger items she lost to water damage were mattresses, a lawn mower, tools, half her library, carpets, a washing machine and her son's cubby house.

Sadly, she lost half the contents of her home studio, where she produces her art. She was working towards an exhibition at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery.

The pool alone cost $500 to drain and clean with chemicals, to rid it of the toxic flood waters that are laden with faecal bacteria.

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Now, she's plugging holes to stop rats and red-bellied black snakes - flushed out from water-logged areas - from entering the property.

Ms Marashian believes her home, which is zoned in an area considered to have a one-in-one-hundred chance per year of flooding, should be rezoned.

"Someone needs to recalculate. It's supposed to be one in one-hundred but it's happened three years in a row now," she said.

"Governments need to wake up and really look at climate change. The time of economic rationalism is over; we are now on the extinction list."

For Ms Marashian, a saving grace was the help provided by the Hawkesbury community.

She said assistance was available "from day one" from various groups and individuals who dropped by the houses of those affected.

These included Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman, the RAAF, local State Emergency Service and Fire and Rescue crews along with the YMCA and local church groups.

"So many people came knocking. That's the special thing about living in the Hawkesbury," Ms Marashian said.

"People in the Hawkesbury LGA really support each other."

Ms Marasian has also utilised the support of the local South Windsor Flood Recovery Centre, located at the South Windsor Family Centre, 6 Greenhills Way, South Windsor.

The dedicated Recovery Centre provides face-to-face support for locals affected by the recent flood event.

Those wanting to be assisted remotely can call Service NSW on 13 77 88.