Dave Loffel rounding up sheep while the floodwaters were rising. Photos: Jodie Collins
The livestock-handling and mustering skills of Shepparton’s Dave Loffel and Joel Huggett helped stressed owners round up stranded animals as floodwaters rose across the Goulburn Valley, say close friends of the pair.
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Family friend Jodie Collins told Country News the pair’s first rescue was on October 16 when Mr Loffel got a call that a woman was in distress and needed to move her cattle to the Shepparton saleyards.
“Dave dropped what he was doing and phoned Joel for a hand to load panels and prepare for a day that could run into working around the clock,” Ms Collins said.
She said with water rising, Mr Loffel and Mr Huggett helped the woman out then went off to a Kialla settlement property where animals of all kinds were trapped in the floodwaters.
There, they set panels up on an island surrounded by floodwaters and herded camels and horses to safety across Locky’s Bridge, which was a hairy moment, Ms Collins said.
They then pushed through rising floodwaters, loading more livestock into Mr Loffel’s stock crate, before sending them off to the Shepparton saleyards.
Ms Collins said impressed onlookers gave the men a round of applause.
Wrangling camels — all in a day’s work
She said after a long day the men could have had a chance for a rest, but Mr Loffel received another call-out at 2am — to move 100-head of sheep, a Brahman bull and a cow to higher grounds on the corner of Watt Rd and Riverview Dve, Kialla.
Joel and Dave helped rescue stranded livestock as floodwaters rose.
Working against the clock, his rescue efforts continued, including waking good friend, and Ms Collins’ brother, Mick Collins at 5.30am to move his 600-head of sheep to higher ground at Riverview Dve, Kialla.
Mr Collins said he could not thank “Dave enough for his dedication, support ... Dave knew his job and never forgot what he was taught growing into the man he has today.”
Mr Loffel then headed to Bunbartha to move his own horses and help neighbours, affected by floodwaters.
“There is so much that could be written and said about Dave during this flood disaster,” Ms Collins said.
“It was an amazing effort ... (Dave and Joel) were incredible help to many .“
