Rochester's flood recovery progress six months on

While a lack of on-the-ground data makes it difficult for him to know what progress has been made and what help is still needed, Mr Wilson said anecdotal evidence from conversations with many locals suggests there is still significant need.

"There's about 1300 homes within the catchment of Rochester and still no one knows how many houses were flooded over the floor," Mr Wilson said.

"I believe we're north of 800 homes that have been flooded over the floor but in practice, that could be as close to 1000 or even more."

With many still struggling with the process of rebuilding, getting insurance payouts or restarting businesses, locals are calling for more concrete help.

"Back in early January we did a count of 250 caravans that people were living in that we could find, because you can't always see caravans in people's backyards, and there's noticeably more caravans in town," Mr Wilson said.

"You only need to know how much water went over the floor and you know where people are at recovery-wise."

Mr Wilson said those who had a little water over the floor lost floor coverings, skirting boards, a bit of furniture and kitchen cabinetry.

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"Then if it was knee deep then that's basically all of your furniture gone and a lot of electrical stuff, and then if it was waist-deep you lost everything - there is nothing," he said.

"I've got nothing that I can really put my hand on and say here's the paper that gives me confidence to say who's doing what, for how long, with what resources and what their plan is."

He said having a number or two to call is not enough.

"My priority is this community and as much as I will work with any agency or any politician or any other group that comes here to benefit my community, at the end of the day this is my community and that's what my priority is," he said.

"I understand there's a lot of reasons why people have difficulties in delivering outcomes because of funding or a lack of staff or whatever, but we're six months in and I'm transitioning into that's your problem, that's not my problem.

"My problem is the welfare of these people and I want to start seeing solutions."

Mr Wilson said the tragedy has brought the community together but it had also changed things.

"People are interacting a bit differently but then we've got that camaraderie of that stereotypical brothers-in-arms or like a team that's won a grand final, or any group of people that's been through something that's traumatic, we've got that shared experience," he said.

"If you haven't been through it, you don't quite get it."

Mr Wilson said there is also guilt for those who have had houses completed.

"We've been seeing people who are returning back into the homes now who are feeling really guilty because they know that they're moving back in and for plenty of people it's gonna be way too many months, even up to two years to get back into their homes," he said.

"So there are people here that are recovering okay, they're back in their houses, they haven't had too many difficulties with insurance, they've been able to get hold of builders in timely fashion."

At the other extreme some people are facing "really meaty insurance issues", significant delays with building supplies and tradies that existed even before the serious flooding, while dealing with trauma and mental health difficulties.

"I don't believe it is suitable to say it's (back to) business as usual, here's a number, ring up then you can book in to see someone," he said.

"In how many months, how many weeks? Well, we've got this en masse."

Mr Wilson said approximately 150 people are currently at the temporary village in Elmore for those affected by the floods, with an estimated 20 caravans at Lockington, with many more in Echuca and Bendigo caravan parks or staying with family and friends.

Those staying in Elmore, which was always intended as a shorter-term solution, will need to vacate by August.

"I think many of us in the early stages weren't necessarily aware that was going to be an issue so it's caught some of us from a recovery side of things a bit off guard," Mr Wilson said.

"Now the reality is Anglicare and the state government are working to find solutions for all of these people and I'm humbly confident that will happen but also, you know, the clock is ticking and solutions need to be found very soon."

Going forward, Mr Wilson said there needed to be greater mental health supports on the ground and beyond a hotline, assistance with insurance where it was required and help with trades people and building materials.

He said the Education Department, who he praised highly for their efforts in rebuilding schools, needed to continue to help traumatised children who had already dealt with COVID, and said there also needed to be surety around the future of flood mitigation for the town including what would be done at Lake Eppalock and the Campaspe River to prevent similar events reoccurring.

"It's about making sure we've got the right amount of people on the ground right now and then the right amount of people for this recovery journey."