Reconstruction

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 2 projects
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 7 projects
Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program: 16 sites

Resilient Lands Program

RA has provided funding to Ballina Council to progress planning for: 

• key worker housing on Council owned land at Hutley Drive, Lennox Head
• feasibility of medium density development in the Ballina CBD
• work with HomesNSW to provide more housing, including for key workers and redevelopment of land in Ballina.                                           

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 4 projects
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 13 projects

Resilient Lands Program

• Saddle Road Precinct at Brunswick Heads: RA has provided funding to Council for infrastructure investigations and technical reports to plan for around 600 homes on flood free land, located within 4km of Mullumbimby and 5km of Brunswick Heads.
• Station Street, Mullumbimby: RA have provided funding to support the feasibility of an affordable rental housing project co-funded with Landcom, Council and a Community Housing Provider at 57 Station Street Mullumbimby.

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 5 projects
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 2 projects
Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program: 1 site

Resilient Lands Program

• Summerland Way, Junction Hill, 5 minutes north of Grafton: RA are leading the preparation of a Transport Study, in collaboration with Transport for NSW and Clarence Valley Council to inform intersection upgrades needed to unlock the development of land for up to 1000 new homes.

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 1 project
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 10 projects

Resilient Lands Program

• RA is working collaboratively with Kyogle Council to unlock the development of homes to meet the needs of buyback participants.

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 7 projects
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 14 projects

Resilient Lands Program

• Mount Pleasant: Further engagement with RHP buyback participants will determine the masterplan and next steps for development.
• North Lismore: This site is the closest site to flood-impacted communities in North Lismore, helping to retain a sense of community identity and connection for these residents. It has existing development consent to deliver 85 housing lots. There is potential to help meet the need for more affordable and well-located housing in this area.
• East Lismore: Up to 400 new homes will be made available in East Lismore in conjunction with Southern Cross University and Landcom
• Goonellabah: Two key worker housing and affordable rental housing projects at 69 Cynthia Wilson Drive and 44 Bristol Circuit are co-funded with Landcom on Council owned land. 

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 5 projects
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 7 projects

Resilient Lands Program

• Fairy Hill, 'Summerland Estate', 5 minutes north of Casino: RA has provided funding to Council to progress planning and infrastructure investigations and a business case to progress the development of a large subdivision that could accommodate up to 1,500 new homes over time.

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program: 7 projects
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program: 10 projects
Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program: 43 sites

Resilient Lands Program

• North Arm Road, Murwillumbah: We are unlocking the development of this land by working with the council and landowners to facilitate planning and infrastructure upgrades.  
• Former Greenhills Lodge, South Murwillumbah: Funding to complete preliminary investigations for housing options. 

Caring for Our Catchments

Stream: Nature based solutions
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Late 2027
Funding: $5,450,000

Benefits: The Caring for Our Catchments project will provide up to 240 hectares of riparian (riverbank) revegetation over three years, covering around 8 kilometres of cleared river and streambank including upper catchment, mid catchment and floodplain locations.

This work will revegetate and reforest a large section of the riparian zones in the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed/Brunswick catchments which were damaged or destroyed by flooding over recent years.

To find out more about these projects please view the Caring for Catchment project updates page.

Heal the Rivers

Stream: Nature based solutions
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Late 2027
Funding: $6,200,000

Benefits: Heal the Rivers is an Indigenous-led initiative focusing on the restoration of cultural landscapes and implementing nature-based solutions for flood mitigation and adaptation across the Northern Rivers

Regional community flood risk awareness

Stream: Community Awareness and Adaptation
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Late 2025
Funding: $3,000,000  

Benefits: The key aim of this project is to increase the Northern Rivers community’s awareness of the regional flood risk so they can:  

• make informed decisions about their homes and the adaptation of their local area
• be more aware and prepared for future flood events.

Scope:

• Develop local flood risk information, resources and tools to support the effective rollout of the Resilient Homes Program and the engagement about location specific adjustments.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders and the community in creating a shared history of flooding in the region increasing trust and ownership in flood information.
• Create broad and targeted communication and campaigns to increase local and regional flood risk awareness and ensure evacuation readiness for future floods.

Regional evacuation route and infrastructure assessment program

Stream: Community Awareness and Adaptation
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Late 2025
Funding: $1,200,000 million  

Benefit: The project will support regional flood resilience through improved understanding of potential flood risk and severity, and available evacuation routes.  This project will assess regional evacuation routes, their capacity and options for infrastructure upgrades across all LGAs.

Scope:

• Comprehensive mapping and analysis of evacuation routes across the region.
• Development of a Regional-scale Flood Evacuation Model to support assessment for larger road upgrades.
• Assessment and modelling for evacuation routes with low points to better understand the flood risk.
• Identification and scoping of small evacuation route upgrades.

Community-led resilience teams facilitated by the Australian Red Cross

Stream: Community Awareness and Adaptation
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Late 2025
Funding: $3,000,000

Benefits: Over a two-year timeframe, the project will engage with 10 to 15 communities in each LGA across the seven Northern Rivers LGAs.  

The Red Cross Community-led Resilience Teams (CRTs) will provide a formal structure, direction and guidance which will complement community resources, people and capacity. The Teams will provide a “community voice” at the right level and across the spectrum of preparedness, response, and recovery.

This work will build relationships and emergency awareness over time, based on local risks, local knowledge and connecting communities with response agencies.  Assisting impacted communities to recovering from natural disasters.

Regional Floor Level Surveys

Stream: Community Awareness and Adaptation
Stage: Complete 
Funding: $800,000

Benefits: This project will undertake floor level surveys across all LGAs. More detailed and accurate flood risk assessment provides a better understanding of the severity and impact of floods to housing and infrastructure. Completing floor level surveys is a key input into a range of flood mitigation and disaster planning activities, including the development of evacuation routes. 

Evacuation Route Raising - Comprises Ballina Island and west Ballina

Stream: Flood mitigation infrastructure
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Mid 2026
Funding: $40,000,000

Benefit: Ballina Island and West Ballina are exposed to inundation during floods as a result of the low-lying topography of the area and proximity to rivers, creeks and coastal waterways.

This project will duplicate and raise the bridges at Fishery Creek and Tamarind Drive. The proposed project will result in an improvement in the evacuation for Ballina, providing a reduced risk to life. There is also a potential reduction in infrastructure repair costs, with reduced inundation of key roads.

Develop agricultural levee guidance

Stream: Nature based solutions
Stage: Complete
Funding: $200,000

Benefit: Farmers in the Ballina Shire use levees to safeguard arable land from flooding, especially during high tides that may lead to salt intrusion, potentially compromising soil quality. There are no established regulations governing these levees and in certain locations, their construction has impacts on flood levels for adjacent properties. Working in partnership with the Rous County Council this project will introduce guidelines for effective management and implementation of levee development in the region.

Byron Bay preferred drainage strategy

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Mid 2027
Funding: $11,800,000

Benefits: This project will deliver levees and pumping stations to improve drainage for Byron Bay. It will also include the installation of a gross pollutant trap and wetland to improve flood water quality as it releases into the ocean at Belongil. The works are proposed to be undertaken over four locations within the Belongil Creek floodplain.

• Improved drainage and wetland creation
• Reduction in current flood risk from Belongil Creek and Storm Tide
• Reduction of risk to people and property during a flood event
• Ecological improvement.

Interconnection of pump stations

Stream: Flood risk mitigation infrastructure  
Stage:  Delivery
Planned completion: October 2025
Funding: $550,000

Benefits: The project will connect flood pumps located in River Street in Maclean with underground drainage lines. This project will bolster the resilience of the local community during flood occurrences by enhancing the interconnection among flood pumps and facilitating more efficient displacement of floodwater.

Installation of flood gate and improve access to Alumy Creek at Westlawn Levee

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Early 2025 
Funding: $615,734

Benefits: This project will improve the Alumy Creek flood gate at Westlawn Levee by installing a penstock-type flood gate and providing better access for machinery to allow for better future maintenance. The aim is to increase the Grafton CBD's resilience.

Investigate flood free access to Junction Hill (Grafton) via The Summerland Way

Stream: Community awareness and adaptation
Status: Complete 
Funding: $35,000

Benefits: Benefits of this project include greater awareness for community and council around available routes in the event of a flood.

Review internal drainage strategy (Maclean)

Stream: Flood mitigation infrastructure 
Status: Complete 
Funding: $100,000

Benefits: Review of the internal drainage strategy will enable more robust flood preparedness and assist with stronger risk management planning.

Stock mounds

Stream: Flood mitigation infrastructure 
Status: Complete 
Funding: $500,000

Benefits: Investigate whether constructing stock mounds could effectively assist in reducing stock losses during a flood.

Combined upgrades to pumps and pump stations

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Mid 2026 
Funding: $22,563,809

Benefits: This project will deliver multiple projects in one in various locations across Lismore.  Benefits include improved resilience to floods by improving pump station infrastructure, flood control infrastructure, and power supply backups across a number of different locations. These measures will decrease the severity and impact of floods on the local community, and ensure a higher level of resilience.

New pumps to increase capacity at existing pump stations

1. Lower Hollingworth Pump Station  
2. Browns Creek Pump Station

Refurbishment of existing flood gates to increase the structures’ useful life by at least 20 years

1. Browns Creek Flood Gate  
2. Upper Hollingworth Creek Flood Gate  
Includes all structural and electrical upgrades including gate modification and installing new electrical components to a minimum height of 14.4m reconnected to a power supply.

Install power supply backups for all pump stations

Includes all existing and pump stations planned to be constructed.

Raise pump control rooms/towers in all pump stations

1. Gasworks Pump Station  
2. Lower Hollingworth Creek Pump Station  
Includes raising pump stations to a minimum floor height of 14.4m with associated mechanical, civil and electrical infrastructure.

Construction of two new electric submersible pump stations

1. Levee Near Snow Street 
2. Three Chain Road  
Includes the construction of all associated infrastructure for the safe installation/operation of the pumps, such as switchboard and maintenance access, mechanical and civil works.

Fibre connect all flood pump stations

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Pre-construction 
Planned completion: Mid 2025 
Funding: $1,310,326

Benefits: Improved responsiveness to flood events through enhanced communications methods to critical infrastructure. This project will install fibre optic cable to connect all flood pump stations in Lismore as part of a city-wide initiative to improve pumps station, flood control and power supply infrastructure.

Electrify/install SCADA to replace tractor pump

Stream:  Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Pre-construction 
Planned completion: Late 2025 
Funding: $2,620,651

Benefits: The new pump will more efficiently and effectively remove CBD stormwater, thereby improving evacuation from the CBD and providing better access to critical infrastructure and emergency services.

Mechanical trash racks at all 3 major pump station inlets

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Pre-construction 
Planned completion: Late 2025 
Funding: $3,275,814

Benefits: Reduced risk of damage to infrastructure due to rubbish and debris, improved resilience outcomes of pumps, and improve ability to mitigate flood impacts.  During floods large items such as shopping trolleys can be washed down drainage channels which are a significant risk to the pump infrastructure. Installation of mechanical trash racks at 3 major pump stations in Lismore will reduce the risk of rubbish and debris being washed/sucked into pump intakes and causing damage to pumps.

Widen Browns Creek flood channel, culvert and re-route services currently restricting flow at Brewster Street - Pre-Construction

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Late 2025 
Funding: $1,000,000

Benefits: The existing open channel at Browns Creek narrows where it crosses Brewster Street, causing flood water to spill across parks and roads at Brewster and Uralba Streets. On-site services that cross the channel catch debris during flooding, exacerbating flooding at Browns Creek. This project will realign the Browns Creek channel and culvert and re-route services under the channel to relieve flooding at Browns Creek.

Revitalise South and East Lismore Town Drains

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete 
Funding: $210,000

Benefits: Revitalisation of drainage systems prone to inundation will support greater flood resilience, secure key transport and evacuation routes, and support flood recovery.  Reducing the length of inundation within these areas delivers human and social benefits for dwellings, infrastructure and the local economy by minimising damage to property and allowing for quicker recovery after flood events.  

The South Lismore drain services an industrial estate and the Lismore airport and is one of the main pathways that floodwaters drain from the area. Gundurimba Creek drain services the main route of Wyrallah Road, the East Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant, Lismore Waste Facility and around 5 residential dwellings. It is also the main pathway for floodwaters to drain from East Lismore.

Public Proposal - Lismore Flood Mitigation, Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete 
Funding: $500,000

Benefits: The proposed project will improve flood resilience by allowing water to be quickly cleared from key drainage systems during a flooding event. It will support future flood resilience by ensuring key drainage systems are not blocked, allowing for water to be cleared more quickly in a flood event.

Tatham bridge raising

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
Stage: Delivery 
Planned completion: Mid 2026 
Funding: $18,000,000

Benefits: The Deep Creek and Spring Gully bridges at Tatham are low-set and become inundated during floods, cutting access between Coraki and Casino. This project will replace the bridges and raise the level of both the road and bridges. Better connecting Coraki to Casino will improve emergency evacuation, emergency housing and supplies for the village during flood events. Improving the flood resilience of this road would provide a better evacuation pathway from Coraki to Casino and directly benefit Coraki residents and those in surrounding rural areas.

Dairy Flat road improvements

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete
Funding: $4,224,000

Benefits: Benefits of this project include improved flood immunity to the two bridges between Casino and Coraki, resulting in greater flood resilience to the area and improved access during large flood events. As the bridges are currently load and speed limited, improvements to the bridge would also benefit freight and transport.

Thearles Canal culvert upgrade

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete
Funding: $1,478,414

Benefits: Thearles Canal drains significant areas of agricultural land in Swan Bay. The canal has a single culvert beneath Woodburn-Coraki Road (MR145) which has been identified by residents as a choke point for drainage. Additional culverts will be constructed to improve drainage at this point, improving the flood resilience of MR145 and providing better access for surrounding rural communities.

Improve condition of Coraki and Woodburn town drains

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete
Funding: $150,000

Benefits: The rural villages of Coraki and Woodburn are serviced by town drains that work to reduce water inundation after flooding. To improve their effectiveness, this project will clear the town drains and restore and preserve their condition. The Coraki Town drain services the village and residential dwellings, the main access routes of Queen Elizabeth Drive and access in and out of aged care and health facilities. The Woodburn Town drain is one of the main pathways that floodwaters drain from the village.

Addressing data gaps in Floor Level recording

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete
Funding: $50,000

Benefits: This project will deliver improvements to data required for flood planning by resolving gaps in floor level survey data records for dwellings in the Bentley, Bungawalbin Creek and Rappville areas. 

Earthworks across Lot 4 on Quarry Rd

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Late 2025
Funding: $942,480

Benefits: Improve the hydraulic connection between the South Murwillumbah and Condong basins at Lot 4 Quarry Road which is a critical flowpath that needs to be preserved to ensure no worsening of flooding in South Murwillumbah.

New Low flow pump Lavender Creek and CBD catchments

Stream:            Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage:            Delivery
Planned completion:    Early 2026
Funding:             $2,569,106

Benefits: The benefit of this project includes improved efficiency in draining excess stormwater during frequent rainfall events, which will reduce the severity and impact of flooding in the area.  

Lavender Creek drains through Murwillumbah and joins to the Tweed River. Two pumps currently drain this part of the CBD during rainfall by pumping runoff from Lavender Creek and Murwillumbah CBD sub-catchments to the river. We are constructing a new pump station with higher capacity flood pumps to improve discharge from Lavender Creek to the river during frequent and intense rainfall.

New Pump System within East Murwillumbah Levee

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Mid 2026 
Funding: $1,461,114

Benefits: The installation of a pump station will benefit the community by mitigating stormwater flooding and reducing stormwater entering the sewerage system.  Install a new pump system near George Street (just east of York Street) to assist in draining East Murwillumbah. The pump system will start to operate once the water depth upstream of George Street exceeds 1 metre. This will significantly reduce the impact, frequency and severity of flooding on private properties and public infrastructure in the vicinity of Murwillumbah Leagues Club.

Additional Wharf St Pump Capacity

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Late 2026
Funding: $2,755,065

Benefits: An additional pump will alleviate the pressure on the existing Wharf Street pump and assist draining the Murwillumbah CBD during times of flood, minimising risks of flooding to a number of commercial properties in the Murwillumbah CBD.       

There are two Council operated flood pumping stations within Murwillumbah to assist in draining the Murwillumbah CBD during floods. The main pump station is located near the Lavender Creek crossing at Commercial Road and the second pump station which is a smaller system located within Wharf Park. This project will install a new pump into the existing main trunk drainage system to double the pumping capacity at this section of the Murwillumbah CBD.

Development of detailed evacuation planning study for Tweed Shire Council

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Delivery
Planned completion: Late 2025
Funding: $35,000

Benefits: This project will ensure a detailed evacuation planning study is prepared to identify improved evacuation plans for trouble spots across the Tweed Shire. The study will take recommendations from the Flood Risk Management Strategy (FRMS) and apply them at a local level.

Alma Street South Murwillumbah modification work

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete
Planned completion: Late 2025
Funding:$900,000

Benefits: Alma Street is the main connection from Tweed Valley Way and Murwillumbah providing an important evacuation point for South Murwillumbah. Alma Street forms part of the low-level levee that protects South Murwillumbah and is the first location where flooding occurs. This project will raise a small section of Alma Street in South Murwillumbah to provide residents additional time to evacuate from South Murwillumbah into the CBD.

New pump systems behind Dorothy St

Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure 
Stage: Complete
Funding: $1,626,000

Benefits:  Installation of a new pump system for the area behind the Dorothy Street levee will help to reduce flood levels by allowing water to drain. It would also benefit the community by reducing stormwater entering the town’s sewerage system.

The pump station will be located near Tweed Shire Council’s wastewater treatment plant to the north of Murwillumbah Leagues Club. The new pump station will be a grid-power connected, fully telemetered, remotely controlled with generator backup and will cater for a broader range of rainfall intensities, provide greater protection for the local area and offer an environmentally sustainable solution with long term benefits for the community.