When the only major bridge between Shepparton and Mooroopna closed at short notice due to major flooding, the close-knit communities' fears were confirmed.
Social media had been buzzing for days with worry about what would happen if the artery between the twin towns was cut.
Carloads of people pleaded with the lone police officer who arrived to block off the Shepparton end of the causeway in the early evening of Saturday, October 15.
Some took a lengthy detour to get back to Mooroopna, but as roads continued to close in all directions the two communities were effectively cut off.
Calls for funding for the Shepparton bypass project often mention benefits to the local economy and the transport industry.
But as locals learned during the October floods, the case for another major Goulburn River bridge could be a matter of life and death.
Yorta Yorta and Wemba Wemba woman Liss Cowan was more than eight months into a high-risk pregnancy during the floods.
The day after the causeway closed water destroyed her young family's home.
Her father Butch Cowan's place flooded as well.
"I didn't think we'd ever be cut off," Mr Cowan said.
"When it occurred, I thought Mooroopna was gone — it was that frightening.
"Next time we should get advice to evacuate. We were never warned."
'Would have lost my son'
Ms Cowan was scheduled to have a caesarean section because her baby was in the wrong position in the womb and the placenta was obstructing her cervix.
She grew increasingly anxious as she watched her family fight to protect their homes.
"If I had went into a natural birth I would have lost my son, but I could also have lost my life too," Ms Cowan said.
"It was very scary working out a way to get across the causeway if I had to get to the hospital."
Luckily Ms Cowan did not go into labour and her son was born at Goulburn Valley Health after the causeway reopened.
"My baby was fine [during the surgery]," she said.
"I flatlined on the table and they brought me back."
Ms Cowan's son's name is Wynjarrah, which means warrior.
She is gathering the strength for the next stage of the flood recovery, grateful her kids are safe.
"My son's brought a rainbow into my life," Ms Cowan said.
No tragedy 'just a miracle'
Mooroopna pharmacist Paul Wickham delivered medicines by boat and four-wheel drive during the emergency.
He transported as much stock as he could from his flooded shop to his family home.
"Very quickly we were cut off and the other pharmacies in town, their families and homes were in Shepparton, so it was pretty scary," Mr Wickham said.
"We were having trouble getting onto the SES or anyone to get medication into the town."
At one point Mr Wickham received a call from a woman whose partner was trapped in his home in a rapidly deteriorating condition.
He was wearing a ring that had cut off circulation to his finger, which was turning black.
Mr Wickham urged the man to call triple-0.
"I said, 'Look, this is serious — you could get blood poisoning and you could die tonight,'" he said.
The next day Mr Wickham found out the Royal Flying Doctor Service had rescued the man and taken him to hospital.
"That was the scary thing — not having any food, any fuel, any doctors, any pharmacies in the town," Mr Wickham said.
"To think there was no [operational] ambulance station.
"It's just a miracle there wasn't a tragedy in Mooroopna."
No dispute, but no funding
Ms Cowan was one of many people from Mooroopna who lost access to vital medical treatment when the causeway closed.
Vicki Scott requested support to get to Goulburn Valley Health for chemotherapy, and was rejected.
Ms Scott said she never wanted to see the issue arise again, for herself or anyone else.
Independent state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said the problem would have been avoided if there was a second, higher river crossing.
"That's why so many people have been advocating for so long for a full bypass, but in particular … one that joins Mooroopna and Shepparton with a major bridge across the river north of Shepparton."
Earlier this year the estimated cost of the first stage of the bypass was revealed to have grown to $1.2 billion.
Nationals federal member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said the impact of the flood was another argument for a second bridge.
"We always used to say, 'OK, what if there's a fire that rips through that forest?'" he said.
"What happens if there's a big accident and all of the perishable goods can't get across because there's milk factories and fruit factories on either side?
"The point is you don't know what's going to happen and you need contingencies."
But despite campaigning for the bypass getting underway in the mid-1990s, the question of where the funding will come from has never been answered.
