This month is ‘Mental Health Month’ and it’s an important month for so many people are affected by mental health issues.

We live in a world that is tough, we have to juggle things like social status, work status, relationship status, health status, financial status and much more and it can overwhelm people and unfortunately it can do so with fatal outcomes.

Don’t be afraid to talk to somebody about the topic of mental health, talking to family, friends or professionals can do so much for you or somebody you know who is struggling with mental illness.

Below are some numbers to organisations that can help in a time of crisis;

Lifeline – 13 11 14
Kids Help Line – 1800 55 1800
MensLine Australia – 1300 789 978
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Domestic Violence Line – 1800 656 463

Readers can also visit the Mental Health Month website for more information.

After this month is over, don’t stop looking after your mental health and those of family and friends, keep on going during each and every day of your life.

The Edward River peaked this morning at 8.62m.

Nearly a dozen roads have been closed or have had traffic restrictions in the last week, the closures are the following

• Boggy Creek Road near intersection with Dahwilly Lane

• Conargo-Wanganella Road

• Harfleur Street, river end after Blackett Street

• Henry Street at intersection with Carew Street

• Lawson Syphon Road after entrance to No. 494

• McLeans Beach

• Memorial Drive

• Poictiers Street, river end after Blackett Street

• Smart Street/ Chippenham Park Road, between Edward River Oval and intersection of Chippenham Park Road and Smart Street

• South Aratula Road

• Twin Rivers Road

• All public boat ramps.

Travel restrictions are at the following locations

• Conargo-Jerilderie Road (MR552): Three kilometres on Conargo Road from Conargo. One lane closed and subject to traffic lights and speed restrictions; and

• Willurah Road at Browns Creek Bridge: One lane closed and subject to warning lights and speed restrictions.

Edward River Oval is currently under water and will be for some time.

Memorial Park has large sections under water and residents have only recently seen images via the Deniliquin Rhinos Cricket Club page of how bad it is, the netball courts that just recently had the Rovers teams playing on them are not visible and the oval is largely covered in water.

The nearby Golf Course also has large sections under water as seen in aerial photos provided to Deniliquin History in Photos, DHiP have been also busy passing along information, assisting sandbagging efforts and taking photos daily.

McLean Beach Holiday Park is closed and a massive sandbagging effort has been underway to keep the floodwaters from taking the entire park, so far efforts have been successful in limiting the damage.

Deniliquin Riverside Caravan Park  has had flooding in the lower sections but they are still operational.

Big4 Deniliquin is fully operational.

Boats have been spotted on the Edward River and they are causing trouble as waves created by the boats send water levels over the levees and sandbags causing brief but damaging floods behind flood defences.

Boat users have also put themselves in danger of hitting submerged objects such as fallen trees and logs that may be making their way down the river.

It is certain from all the pictures and video that there will be heartache once the flooding goes down and the damage is visible for all to see but Deniliquin is a strong town and it will rebound quickly.

It will take some time for the river to go down and everyone is hoping that the Hume Dam doesn’t release a big load anytime soon and rain doesn’t hit the snow and bring the heartache back around.

Let’s hope that this is the end of the flooding crisis and there is no Part 3 to this flooding situation that has gone on since September.