Community stories
The NSW Reconstruction Authority is helping people recover and thrive after disaster. We share stories from residents of the Central West as they rebuild their lives after the 2022 floods.
Living the dream after a flood-induced nightmare
Resilient Homes Program testimonial - Brian and Lesley Smith, Eugowra
Eugowra's Brian and Lesley Smith are rebuilding their lives after receiving a grant from the Resilient Homes Program.
When Brian and Lesley Smith dreamt about their future retirement, they never imagined the nightmare they’d go through on their way to achieving that dream.
However, the Eugowra couple are now in a sweet spot, 3 years after a wall of water destroyed their home, cars and caravan. They escaped with their dogs and lives thanks to the quick actions of a LifeFlight helicopter crew.
In 2021, Brian and Lesley purchased a house outside the flood zone, planning to plant extensive gardens. On 14 November 2022, their home was destroyed by a flood which also washed away their neighbours’ homes.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority provided them with a temporary living pod while they battled to get their insurer to cover their claim. Eventually they were able to build a modular home raised above the flood level. However, the additional costs of building a raised home ate substantially into the retirement savings they’d intended to use for fencing and establishing their longed-for garden.
Relieved to have escaped with their lives, pets and enough to rebuild, the Smiths determined to get on with their future.
It wasn’t until staff from the NSW Reconstruction Authority encouraged them to look at the Resilient Homes Program that they realised they might be eligible for a reimbursement for the additional costs they’d occurred.
“We believed that we weren’t eligible because we’d received some insurance money,” Brian said. “At best, we’d thought we’d be able to get just a small amount, but in the end we were reimbursed for much more.
“The amount we’ve received is life changing and will allow us to build that fence and establish our garden with a water supply.
“We urge everyone affected by the flood to talk to the Reconstruction Authority’s Resilient Homes Program team.”
Find out more about the Resilient Homes Program at nsw.gov.au/resilienthomesprogram
Resilient measures home grant gives the gift of mobility
When Peter Apps and Aileen Allen rebuilt their Forbes home after their house was destroyed in the devastating 2022 floods, they made sure they would be living above the level of any future floods.
But peace of mind came at a cost. Aileen’s mobility challenges put her at risk every time she tried to negotiate the 14 steps to the ground below, making her fearful to leave the new home which had a floor level 2.2 metres above the ground.
However, a reimbursement from the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s Resilient Homes Program is life changing and will enable Aileen to once again come and go freely without risk. She and Peter have been reimbursed for the additional costs involved in building a home designed to reduce the impact of a future flood. Now they plan to spend these funds by installing an elevator which will transport her between the ground level and the house.
Aileen and Peter moved to the property in 1997. While they knew the area was low-lying, they’d never seen anything like the series of floods which washed through between August and November 2022.
Their home was destroyed, and they lived in a caravan before the Reconstruction Authority provided an onsite pod where they lived for the many months it took to demolish the home, get development approval and build a new house.
While their insurance payment meant they could build a similar home to their previous ground-level one, it wasn’t enough to cover the many extra costs required for a raised house. They had to stretch their budget to meet the extra expense and were able to move in at the end of 2024.
For Peter, the Reconstruction Authority and the Resilient Homes Program has provided support during a difficult journey. “It’s hard to recover from something like the flood, especially when you are older. We reached out when the Resilient Homes Program was announced even though we weren’t sure we would be eligible. The staff have been really helpful and have made a point of keeping in touch during the process. Having this money reimbursed will make such a big difference for us.”
Find out more about the Resilient Homes Program at nsw.gov.au/resilienthomesprogram
Flood grant puts Brian's retirement back on track
Despite his home of 20 years washing away in the 2022 Eugowra flood, Brian Moon never intended to apply for support from the NSW Government’s Resilient Homes Program, thinking he probably wouldn’t be eligible.
Now, he’s glad he did apply.
He changed his mind after a chance encounter at a local cafe in the small Central West town. A program staff member was also buying coffee and as they chatted, she encouraged him to come into the office to discuss the pensioner’s options.
“I was fortunate to have saved a bit for retirement that I could dig into and thought there were people who were worse off than me who needed it more,” Brian says now. He was reassured his application wouldn’t rule out other people who were also eligible.
Administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority, the Resilient Homes Program has provided a substantial reimbursement toward the costs of rebuilding his new house. His retirement kitty has been topped up to ensure a more secure future.
On 14 November 2022, Brian was visiting family in Canowindra. He wasn’t concerned about the falling rain – his home had never flooded before and he had no reason to think it would flood now. He was shocked the next day when he received a photo of his home wedged against an electricity pole 50 metres down the road. Not only had it washed off its foundation, but water had pushed it over a fence along the way.
In the following days, the NSW Reconstruction Authority assisted Brian by providing a caravan where he could stay while he cleaned up his property. Soon after, it was replaced by a pod where he lived for 14 months while a more flood-resilient home was built.
He moved into his new home in April 2024, having sunk a substantial chunk of his life savings into the project. About a year later, he had that fateful meeting in the café, and now he can’t thank the Resilient Homes Program team enough for following up and assisting him and his daughter through the application process.
“I would encourage anyone who had flooding to apply,” he says now. “People can get scared about the amount of paperwork, but the staff have been absolutely wonderful in walking us through it.
“If you don’t apply, you won’t get anything. I received a reimbursement amount greater than I thought I might.”
Find out more about the Resilient Homes Program at nsw.gov.au/resilienthomesprogram
Legal advocacy turns $5K into $300K
Following the devastating 2022 floods, a Central West NSW resident faced not only severe damage to their home but also heartbreak when their insurer wrongly denied their claim.
The insurer initially asserted the damage was due to flooding - excluded under the policy - and offered only a modest ex-gratia payment of around $5000.
That's when Legal Aid NSW's Disaster Recovery Legal Service (DRLS) stepped in and helped increase the payment by almost 6000 per cent.
After receiving the insurance knockback, the resident approached the DRLS for help. A solicitor reviewed the insurer’s assessments and hydrology reports, identifying significant flaws. The solicitor lodged an Internal Dispute Resolution complaint, arguing the insurer had failed to prove the damage was caused by flood rather than stormwater.
Following the complaint, the insurer reversed its decision and ultimately awarded the client approximately $300,000 for building and contents. Significantly, the insurer also explicitly acknowledged the emotional distress and hardship caused by the initial denial. In recognition of the pain and suffering endured during the prolonged delay, the insurer paid an additional $6,300 in compensation for non-economic loss.
This case highlights the importance of challenging unfair decisions and recognises the emotional impact such denials can have on disaster-affected individuals.
The relieved Parkes resident said, “We feel like our lives and future are back on track”.
For assistance from the DRLS, call 1800 801 529 or visit www.disasterhelp.legalaid.nsw.gov.au
Legal advocacy secures insurance payout for local family
Legal Aid’s Disaster Response Legal Service (DRLS) has delivered a happy outcome for a Central West family after an insurance knockback added more heartache after the 2022 floods destroyed their home.
Deanne*, her husband and two children suffered a devastating loss when the 2022 flood forced them to flee for their lives.
Like many residents, Deanne had been unable to afford flood cover in her home insurance. Her insurer denied her claim, relying on hydrology reports that the damage was caused by creek water.
Deanne sought help from a DRLS solicitor at a Recovery Centre set up by NSW Reconstruction Authority.
The solicitor lodged a dispute with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), arguing the damage to the home was caused by stormwater runoff, which her policy did cover. Time-stamped photos and video were critical evidence.
For over 18 months, while the claim was being challenged, the family lived in a shed with a makeshift bathroom and hose as a shower.
AFCA determined that the insurer had not established that the damage was caused by flood, and the insurer had to pay for benefits and repair works covered by the policy. Deanne eventually received a substantial payment which she was able to use to restore the family home.
For more information about accessing legal support visit www.disasterhelp.legalaid.nsw.gov.au
* Not her real name.
NSW Reconstruction Authority smooths Di’s journey from flood disaster to a new home
Eugowra pensioner Di Garner turns 80 in May 2025. She plans to celebrate the landmark by moving into her new home after losing everything in the November 2022 flood which devastated the town.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) has been with Di every step of the way on her journey from disaster to restoration.
Winched out of the raging floodwaters by helicopter, the retired schoolteacher gratefully accepted assistance from the RA’s At-Home Caravan Program which provided temporary accommodation so she could stay in the area.
Later, she was able to move out of the cramped conditions of the caravan into a roomier studio pod when RA’s Pods on Private Property program rolled out, recognising recovery efforts would take some time. Positioned on her property, the pod has provided a comfortable space while she planned and built a new home. It also meant she could quickly return to the activities she loves – gardening, art and caring for her dogs and rescue cats.
“I really appreciated the original caravan, but having the pod has made it much easier to get through the 2.5 years it’s taken to have a new home built,” Di says.
The RA again provided support as she prepared for that construction, helping her access a NSW Public Works program which demolished the remnants of her original home which was more than 100 years old.
Di has replaced it with a small home built above the 2022 flood level - around 1.8 metres above ground level at her property.
Di has now accessed another RA program, with a home assessment team recently visiting her property as part of the Resilient Homes Program. Under that program she may be eligible for assistance with some of the costs incurred in replacing her home.
The Resilient Homes Program provides eligible homeowners with funds to help with:
- home buyback
- home raising
- home rebuild
- home relocation
- home retrofit
- reimbursement for completed works which meet resilience criteria.
For works already completed prior to the program, eligible homeowners may be able to seek reimbursement for expenditure that meets the criteria for resilient measures.
For more information about the resilient homes program, visit the Resilient Homes Program.