Tweed Shire Council is working hard to prepare the region ahead of the looming wet season and a third La Niña weather event that continues to impact Australia’s East Coast.
Although Council is focused on recovery works following the record flood of February and March in early 2022 – which caused an estimated $100 million in damage to Council assets – the team is looking ahead to prepare for any new flooding events.
Some of the projects currently underway include:
- A new flood alert system at Burringbar, Mooball and Crabbes Creek (launched 14 October)
- The new Tweed Eco Festival to be held in Murwillumbah on 13 November to help residents prepare to be climate ready
- A new draft Flood Camera Monitoring Policy to go on public exhibition to allow live flood camera footage to be broadcast on Council’s webpage
- Completed drainage study of Murwillumbah Leagues Club and seeking funding to support installation of flood pump station behind Dorothy/Williams Streets levee
- Seeking funding for new Murwillumbah CBD Levee and Drainage Study Review and Pump Station Investigation
- $20,000 in funding raised through the Tweed Mayoral Flood Appeal for purchase of VHF radios for remote communities so they are not isolated
- $60,000 raised through Tweed Mayoral Flood Appeal distributed to Murwillumbah Community Centre, the Family Centre, New South Wales SES and the Northern Rivers Community Foundation for use on flood resilience programs.
- $80 million road repair program underway with work being undertaken as rapidly as possible
- Temporary one-lane access restored to major landslip on Scenic Drive
- Short-listed contractors currently producing concept designs and tender pricing to fix remaining significant landslips at Tyalgum Road, Limpinwood Road and Reserve Creek Road
- Seeking funding under the Betterment program to upgrade Blacks Drain at South Murwillumbah
- Work continuing on Industrial Land Swaps at South Murwillumbah
- Working with the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation to provide a list of properties suitable for the Australian and New South Wales Governments’ Resilient Homes Program
- Working with the New South Wales SES and New South Wales Government to secure a site for a new SES building in Murwillumbah and then construct on that site
- Working with the New South Wales SES to advance a development application for a new SES building in Banora Point on five acres of land acquired by Council for this purpose
- Working together with the Australian Red Cross to help establish Community Resilience Groups in villages across the Shire
- Creation of a new Community Disaster Resilience Officer role to work closely with these Community Resilience Groups on future preparedness
Tweed Shire Council Mayor, Chris Cherry, said it was crucial to learn from the past and do everything possible to avoid a repeat of the devastation caused by the recent flood.
“We know it is not a matter of if, but when, a flood hits the region again,” Mayor Cherry said.
“We know every flood is different and we can’t control the weather, but we can certainly do everything possible to prepare for future flooding.
“Across all divisions of Council, we are applying our deep understanding of the Tweed to ensure our community is as prepared as possible moving forward.”
Council continues to be an active member of the Tweed’s Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) which comprises New South Wales Police, New South Wales SES units, New South Wales Fire and Rescue, New South Wales Ambulance and other key emergency services to ensure Council is participating in flood preparedness in the region.
The community is being kept aware of these activities through the Tweed Emergency Dashboard, while a weekly flood recovery update is published through Council’s Flood Recovery Dashboard as well as the Tweed Link publication and through its various social media channels.
Featured image: The area at Industry Central in South Murwillumbah earmarked for Council’s first industrial land swap project. Image: Tweed Shire Council.
