A LOCAL entrepreneur was being hailed a hero after he rallied Warracknabeal residents into building an earth-wall levee that saved homes from being swamped as floodwaters rushed into the town yesterday.

Richard Wilken was well enough known around town to gather willing volunteers with local knowledge to rally together and contain rising waters that spilled over the banks of Yarriambiack Creek.

Richard Wilken instigated and oversaw the building of a levee on both sides of the swollen Yarriambiack Creek in Warracknabeal. Credit:John Woudstra

By early yesterday the creek was more like a fast-flowing river that turned some low-lying areas into swamp.

But the levee, which stretched for five kilometres on either side of the creek, held firm in areas close to houses.