On 13 and 14 January 2011, large amounts of tropical air combined with a low pressure trough brought heavy rain to areas of south-east Australia. The heaviest rain spread into Victoria, resulting in record rainfall in parts of west and north-west Victoria. This, combined with saturated conditions of the catchment and floodplains, caused severe flooding.
Jeparit recorded the highest daily rainfall of 161.2 mm, with seven other monitoring stations breaking their highest daily rainfall records. Weather stations at Kyneton, Annuello, Rupanyup and Maryborough observed their highest ever rainfall total for anymonth on record.
The Wimmera, Avoca, Loddon and Campaspe river catchment areas all reached record flood peaks. The Barwon catchment and the Lerderderg River in the Werribee catchment also experienced major flooding. The towns of Charlton, Bridgewater, Carisbrook, Rochester, Horsham and Echuca experienced the greatest levels of inundation.
The flooding of the Goulburn River resulted in the drowning of a person in a flooded billabong near Shepparton.
The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the preliminary 2011 damage at $126 million.