Northern Rivers temporary housing
Temporary housing sites provide a safe and secure home while people affected by floods begin their recovery.
Village locations
Temporary housing villages were constructed in the Ballina, Byron, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed Shire areas.
Ballina Shire
Byron Shire
Lismore
Tweed Shire
About the villages
Housing villages host temporary modular homes (also called pods) and caravans. The sites include supporting infrastructure and amenities. They vary in size, depending on the land and available amenities.
Pods are stand-alone homes that range from studios to 4-bedrooms. Pods have their own internal facilities such as a kitchen, bathroom and washing machine. Some sites with caravans will have communal bathrooms and kitchen facilities to complement what is in each caravan.
They include power and water costs during that time. For caravan residents, there may be some costs for waste management. All residents are responsible for their own internet expenses. Ask your community housing provider about any ongoing costs.
Local community housing providers (CHP) manage housing sites in partnership with the NSW Government, councils and local community groups.
How long will temporary housing sites be available?
The Northern Rivers temporary housing program was due to end in June 2025, under funding arrangements with the Australian Government.
Five villages in the program will be decommissioned by the end of 2025. These are Wollongbar, Evans Head, Pottsville, Kingscliff and Bayside Villages. Wollongbar Village residents left the village in March 2025 and decommission works are now being undertaken. Residents will leave other decommissioning villages by the end of June 2025.
Due to the current housing shortage in the Northern Rivers, RA is working with Homes NSW, councils, and landowners to extend some villages as disaster related housing for flood impacted people in the region.
The operation of Wardell, Coraki, Mullumbimby, Lismore, Tweed Street Brunswick Heads, and Ballina villages will be extended until December 2026.
From 1 July, Homes NSW will take over operation of these villages for flood-impacted people.
Village management
Temporary villages are managed by a community housing provider (CHP). The CHP is responsible for:
- the day-to-day management of the site
- resident allocations
- on-site security.
All residents have signed an occupancy agreement before moving into a village. This sets out appropriate behaviour and conduct for living in the temporary accommodation.
If someone is unable to comply with the terms of occupancy agreement, they may be required to leave the site.
Across all sites, the CHP works closely with local Recovery Support Services (RSS) to provide support for residents, including:
- mental and physical health
- financial support
- options for returning to a more permanent living situation.
All housing units are cleaned before residents move in. Residents are then responsible for all ongoing clean-up of the housing unit, as it is their private home.
At-home caravan program
The NSW Reconstruction Authority is responsible for managing the At-Home Caravan program in partnership with Camplify, to provide temporary use of a caravan for residents whose primary place of residence were deemed uninhabitable as a result of the 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers.
Applications for the At-Home Caravan program have closed. Individuals and families already in a caravan are still able to retain their caravan for up to 18 months.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority is contacting caravan residents to understand each individual housing need and next steps once the program is finished.
If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, contact Link2Home on 1800 152 152. The telephone service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Contact the project team
For more information, contact us by:
• emailing housingtaskforce@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au
• calling 1300 003 227