After the 2022 floods, Kate and her family knew they couldn't stop future floods from happening. But they could make sure the next one wouldn't turn their lives upside down. When floodwaters swept through Kate’s home in 2022, she and her neighbours did everything they could to save what mattered most.
"We started stacking everything on top of tables and chairs," Kate recalls. "Almost everyone in the neighbourhood was helping each other out, going to each other's homes and lifting as much furniture as we could."
Like many affected by the floods , the months that followed were anything but simple. Insurance assessments, finding temporary accommodation, waiting for approvals and securing builders meant the family's recovery stretched over several years. When it finally came time to rebuild, Kate and her family made a conscious decision that they wouldn't simply replace what had been lost. Instead, they would rebuild with the future in mind.
Through the NSW Reconstruction Authority's (RA) Resilient Homes Program, Kate accessed the Resilient Measures Retrofit pathway, helping her incorporate practical improvements designed to reduce damage and make recovery easier in the future. Working alongside their chosen builder and drawing on her family's own building experience, every decision was carefully considered. Rather than simply replacing what had been damaged, they carefully considered every part of the rebuild through a resilience lens.
"Every step of the way we asked ourselves, 'How can we minimise the impact for next time?'"
Some of the improvements included:
- removable solid timber doors fitted with lift-off hinges, allowing doors to be quickly removed and stored safely if flooding is predicted
- a floor drainage system built into the concrete slab, making it easier to hose out mud and water after a flood
- installing flush door sills that make cleaning up mud and debris easier after a flood
- flood-resilient concrete flooring and wall materials designed to withstand inundation and simplify repairs
- bathroom and kitchen solutions that include quicker drainage solutions, a movable free-standing bath, and kickout-panels in the kitchen
- structural foundations capable of supporting a future second storey if needed in the future
- purpose-built raised shelving in the laundry for electrical appliances, washing machine and dryer units
- waterproof electrical power points though out the home.
Home before
Home after
More than protecting one family
For Kate, resilience wasn't only about her own family. She wanted the home to be easier for whoever might one day live here.
"That was really important for both of us, to make this house as non-traumatising as possible for whoever lives here after us."
It was about thinking beyond the next flood, and even beyond their own time in the home.
Learning to enjoy the rain again
Four years after the floods, Kate says the fear that came every time it rained has gradually eased. "I feel really snug in this house now and I think the measures that we took are part of that." She says knowing the home has been designed to recover more quickly has brought back a sense of confidence.
"If the water comes through again, it's not going to be four years of complete topsy-turvy in our lives. It'll be a wash out, replace what needs to be replaced and just stay here and get on with our lives."
Advice for other homeowners
Kate understands why some homeowners feel overwhelmed about taking the next step. She remembers the uncertainty, the paperwork, the waiting and the emotional toll. But she believes preparing now can make an enormous difference in the future.
"We live in the Northern Rivers where we are going to see more of these events. If there's an acceptance, preparedness and resilience, then it doesn't have to destroy your life every time."
Find out more information on the process of retrofitting a home and the program time extension.