Reflecting on water's return

THE last time Natimuk Lake had any water in it, John Howard had just come to power, North Melbourne had trounced Sydney in the grand final and the chunky bag phone was considered a pretty schmick piece of equipment.The Hateley family (pictured from left Andrew, Leonie and Ian), who live on the banks of the Natimuk Creek, said the last time the lake had a substantial body of water in it was in 1996.The creek has not flowed for more than a day since 2000, but all that changed with last week’s rain, creating a mini-tourism boom along the usually quiet four kilometre stretch of road from Natimuk north to Natimuk Lake, as people sought to catch an all-too-rare glimpse of water flowing into the lake, formerly one of Victoria’s best freshwater recreational lakes.Natimuk Creek is hardly an imposing sight, even when it is galloping ahead full steam, but the locals couldn’t be more pleased than if it was the mighty Murray itself.