$1M Invested in Flood Recovery Initiatives

Published on 08 June 2022

Bellingen Shire Councillors unanimously passed a program of works for the allocation of the $1 million Flood Recovery Fund provided jointly by the Australian and NSW Government to disaster affected areas. Announced in March, the funding is designed to support recovery from the February and March flood events and preparedness for future events.

After a series of community consultations, surveys, and conversations at Recovery Hubs and street stalls, Council was able to pull together a list of programs that appropriately reflects the concerns and ideas raised by residents.

Council hosted 3 Roundtable discussions across the Shire that were open to the community to share their story, and provide ideas on does and doesn’t work during disasters. For those that could not attend the roundtable sessions Council provided an online survey to receive further ideas and comments from our community. This program built on the earlier Flood Impact Survey that received 270 responses detailing how the floods have affected residents.

Community members raised concerns regarding communications during an event, where to find information, and conflicting or incorrect messages on evacuations and road closures. We heard requests to improve road closure signage, river gauges, and the camera network as well as expanding these measures for future events.

Council also heard from residents about their flooded homes and businesses, experiences of evacuations, and losses of income through disruptions to supply chains in agriculture, lack of tourists through shop doors, and an inability to get to work.

Business has been impacted over recent years from bushfire, Covid and various floods and landslides, so funding to support a reinvigoration and grow opportunities was allocated, including the CBD masterplans which opens avenues of funding into the future.

Council also heard from community about the strength of relationships and connection that supported everyone through the floods. Neighbours sharing information and supplies, offers of accommodation or any other ways to pitch in were celebrated as signs of the community spirit.

Communities also identified that each area of Bellingen Shire is unique, with its own set of challenges, especially those that are cut off by flood waters or landslides. People wanted support to manage during those times in terms of communications and access to electricity, as well as local hubs for recovery. From this the Local Community Disaster Planning project was created. In addition to the Flood Recovery Fund, BSC received additional funding from Resilience NSW for a Community Recovery Officer who will support the work of this and other projects.

Whilst a number of community members raised issues of infrastructure, the scope of this funding is focused on community-based initiatives. However, repairs to road and bridges are also being funded and are underway from different funding streams. More funding opportunities continue to be pursued as Council works not only to repair infrastructure, but to make it better and more resilient in the face of these events.