NSW Flood Recovery and Resilience grants awarded and project summaries

Bayside Council

Seaforth Park detention basin detailed design

This project involves a feasibility investigation and preparation of a detailed design that will result in construction ready drawings for the Seaforth Park detention basin in the Muddy Creek catchment, as recommended in the Bayside west floodplain risk management study and plan.

The proposed basin will be a tiered configuration, with a total capacity of 5,000 cubic metres. It will reduce flooding in a number of properties along its 500-metre flow path.

Bellingen Shire Council

Lavenders Bridge replacement – investigation and design

This project will encompass investigation and design for a replacement of Lavenders Bridge in Bellingen. Lavenders Bridge crosses the Bellinger River and connects South Bellingen and North Bellingen. The existing Lavenders Bridge is a timber/concrete composite bridge that is regularly overtopped by flood water.

This project will involve assessing replacement options, a detailed survey, geotechnical investigation, preliminary design drawings, a construction bill of quantities and cost estimate of the preferred configuration.

Byron Shire Council

Billinudgel rail bridge debris options study and implementation

This project will undertake an options study for debris control measures for the Billinudgel railway bridge. This action is a high priority within the North Byron floodplain risk management plan. The options study will include potential infrastructure improvements and recommended solutions.

Clarence Valley Council

Penstock valves – Grafton and South Grafton

Penstocks are one element of critical infrastructure that prevents flooding in Grafton and there are 24 penstock valves.

Council relies on staff that reside in Grafton to access this flood prevention infrastructure, to provide the required assistance during flood events. It currently takes 4 staff over an hour to shut one penstock, using a large heavy metal wheel.

This project aims to modernise, provide efficiencies and increase safety to the process of shutting penstocks, by installing motorised actuators on them. This will enable activation by pressing a button to close the penstocks.

Georges River Council

Detailed feasibility study – Gloucester Road, Stoney Creek Road and Morgan Street

In 2023, Georges River Council completed an overland flow floodplain risk management study and plan, which covers Gloucester Road, Stoney Creek Road and Morgan Street at Beverly Hills. The community in these areas experienced significant flooding in 2021 and 2022.

This project involves a detailed feasibility study of the option to augment the drainage culverts under Stoney Creek Road and the railway corridor (adjacent to Morgan Street). If a feasible option is available, the consultant will then prepare concept design drawings and bill of quantities.

Northern Beaches Council

Narrabeen Lagoon entrance clearance project

North Narrabeen Lagoon is classified as an intermittently open and closed lagoon, where wave activity and ocean tides cause sand to infill and periodically close the narrow channel entrance. This natural build-up of sand significantly increases the risk of flooding in the floodplain surrounding the lagoon.

This project involves the extraction of up to 30,000 cubic metres of sand from the lagoon entrance and placing it on Collaroy-Narrabeen Beach. This action reduces flood risk by improving hydraulic efficiency, reducing the shallow water effect and friction caused by an infilled lagoon entrance.

The Narrabeen Lagoon entrance clearance project will reduce flood risk for approximately 2,066 properties, as well as public assets and essential infrastructure within the highly urbanised floodplain surrounding Narrabeen.

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional City Council

Bungendore overflow channel

This project involves the construction of an overflow channel that will pass under Tarargo Road on Turallo Creek in Bungendore; this is one of 3 physical flood mitigation measures proposed in the Bungendore floodplain risk management study and plan.

This channel will allow floodwaters to bypass the Tarago Road bridge crossing of the creek during flood events. The higher flows will be diverted across Tarago Road upstream of the bridge crossing, so that they will re-enter the creek downstream of the confluence of Turallo and Halfway creeks, directing flood waters away from properties in the Bungendore town centre.

The channel will also provide flood storage during major events, decreasing the flood impact on nearby properties.

Shellharbour City Council

Jock Brown detention basin – detailed design

The project involves design and environmental approvals for a detention basin in the northern part of the Elliot Lake-Little Lake catchment. The Elliot Lake-Little Lake floodplain risk management study and plan identifies 4 locations where a basin would be suitable, including Jock Brown Oval reserve, as a mitigation measure with a medium priority.

Tweed Shire Council

Murwillumbah central business district levee spillway upgrade – detailed design

In both 2017 and 2022 floods, the Murwillumbah central business district (CBD) levee suffered overtopping across the earthen section of the levee, which is prone to scour failure. A scour failure of the earthen levee has the potential to unleash a flood wave into the Murwillumbah CBD, which would have a significant impact on the town.

The Murwillumbah CBD levee and drainage study (2018) recommended the installation of a formalised spillway to achieve safe and controlled overtopping of the levee during events equal to or greater than the levee crest. Council has completed preliminary flood modelling, survey, and geotechnical investigation to facilitate a spillway upgrade of the earthen section of levee.

This project will complete a detailed design of a spillway and associated reconfiguration of the earthen section of the Murwillumbah CBD flood levee.

Upper Hunter Shire Council

Aberdeen levee rehabilitation

This project will undertake a feasibility and option analysis to rehabilitate the Aberdeen levee, a crucial piece of infrastructure protecting the township from flood-related risks. It functions as a deflector levee and shields against smaller floods (up to the 50-year average recurrence interval) and redirects high-velocity flows during larger floods, safeguarding the township.

The project will assess the feasibility of various options to rehabilitate the levee; encompassing engineering assessments, environmental impact studies and stakeholder engagement.

Bayside Council

Flood mitigation – Baxter Road and Robey Street, Mascot

A study to investigate the feasibility of drainage upgrade options in Mascot identified an upgrade in Baxter Road would reduce flooding in Baxter Road and Robey Street, Mascot. This project involves the construction of an extra drainage line from the low point in Baxter Road under the goods railway line to Port Botany to the top of Ascot Drain.

Flood mitigation – Hollingshed Street and Botany Lane, Mascot

Upgrades in the drainage of Botany Lane, Mascot will reduce flooding in Botany Lane, Hollingshed Street and Hardie Street, Mascot. This project involves constructing extra drainage lines from the low point in Botany Lane, Mascot, to existing drainage networks.

Bega Valley Shire Council

Boundary Road emergency access upgrade stage 2 – intersection extension

This project involves upgrading the Tathra Road intersection and completing an emergency access upgrade. It will include drainage and safety improvements to the existing road and intersection and maintaining emergency access to the South East Regional Hospital during probable maximum flood events.

Merimbula Lake and Back Lake floodplain risk management plan – investigation and design actions for Merimbula township

This project will undertake the investigation and design phase of key high and medium-priority actions identified in the Merimbula Lake and Back Lake floodplain risk management plan, including raising of Fishpen Road, Market Street Road raising, land-use planning and building controls.

Byron Shire Council

Broken Head Road – design

Broken Head Road is a key access and egress road, acting as the primary link to the south of Byron Bay. Flood modelling identified that the Broken Head Road crossing of Tallow Creek will be impassable in a flood event less than a 1 in 5-year average recurrence interval flood event. Given the importance of Broken Head Road for egress and emergency services, this project will increase the capacity of the creek crossing of Broken Head Road to provide a higher flood immunity.

Canterbury Bankstown Council

The Appian Way and North Terrace culvert

High-risk flooding occurs along the Appian Way and North Terrace, Bankstown, affecting properties and major pedestrian and vehicular thoroughfares. There is significant intensification of the area due to major commercial and transport development such as the Western Sydney University, Sydney Metro and shopping centre redevelopment. This project will upgrade the existing trunk drainage system to reduce flood risk up to the 1% annual exceedance probability.

Milperra drain masterplan works, stage 11 part 2 – stage 2

High-risk flooding occurs in the Milperra industrial area, affecting multiple properties and major roads. NSW State Emergency Services has identified the surrounding area (Ashford Avenue and Milperra Road) as flood hotspots that frequently require road closures. This project will complete the Milperra drain masterplan works and realise the full flood mitigation benefits of the scheme. This project will widen the Milperra drain downstream of the recently completed stage 1 works and up to the bridge crossing at Henry Lawson Drive (near Auld Avenue).

Central Coast Council

Local government area-wide scoping study to prioritise voluntary house raising schemes

This project will be a local government area-wide scoping study to determine the feasibility and suitability of voluntary house raising to mitigate flood risk. The scoping study will identify and prioritise individual houses based on the existing recommendations from the adopted floodplain risk management study and plans.

Coffs Harbour City Council

North Boambee Valley detention basin

The Boambee–Newports Creek floodplain risk management study and plan outlined that a detailed assessment of the North Boambee Valley detention basin was required. This project involves the construction of this basin.

Fairfield City Council

Drainage between basin W3 and basin C – investigation and detail design

This project will investigate options recommended in Three Tributaries floodplain risk management study and plan to create a design that protects Attilio Place, Smithfield Road and neighbouring properties against flooding. This project will investigate the construction of an earth bund that keeps water spilling from an upstream basin within an existing overland flow path and whether basin C capacity can be increased.

Inner West Council

Flood mitigation designs

Three locations have been identified that are high-risk and highly susceptible to localised flash and overland flooding. This project will investigate options to ensure that the proposed flood mitigation designs for these locations are feasible.

Ku-ring-gai Council

Construction of box culvert at Vale Street (Gordon)

This project will construct a box culvert spanning Vale Street, Gordon. This project aims to alleviate the high to medium flood hazard and the risk of flooding of private properties along Vale Street.

Shellharbour City Council

Elliot Lake – Little Lake northern basin – design and construction

This project involves the design, environmental approvals and construction of a detention basin in the northern part of the Elliot Lake – Little Lake catchment. Council is currently updating the flood model in this catchment to Australian rainfall and run-off (2019) methods and the basin concept designs, and hydraulic outlet configurations will be confirmed as part of this work.

Horsley Creek discharge control structure upstream of Oak Flats interchange

This project involves the construction of a discharge control structure in an area referred to as the Oak Flats Interchange, in the upper reaches of the Horsley Inlet, which drains to Lake Illawarra. The work will result in lessening flows upstream of the interchange to reduce flood flows downstream.

Snowy Monaro Regional Council

Raising Cooma levee concept design and feasibility study

This mitigation project consists of developing a concept design and determining the feasibility of raising the existing main Cooma Creek levee to protect against the 2% and 5% annual exceedance probability flood events. The levee is currently overtopped in the 5% annual exceedance probability (AEP) event and inundates a number of properties as well as Sharp Street and the Monaro Highway. This inundation and associated flood risk warrants investigation of the costs, benefits and feasibility of raising the levee.

The Council of Camden

Scoping study for new voluntary house raising scheme for Nepean River catchment including Narellan Creek

This project will undertake a scoping study for a proposed voluntary house raising (VHR) scheme in the Nepean River catchment, in order to prepare for future implementation. Up to 108 houses are subject to over floor flooding in 5% annual exceedance probability event in the Nepean River catchment, including Narellan Creek. This project will assess the feasibility of the proposed voluntary house raising scheme and provide a prioritised list of properties to raise.

Wingecarribee Shire Council

Construction of Bowral golf course detention basin

A detention basin will be constructed inside Bowral golf course to reduce downstream flooding impacts, mainly on Bevan Place, Moss Vale Road and Loftus Street. The project involves the construction of 3 interconnected basins with outlet structures and open channels.

Wollondilly Shire Council

Feasibility study for raising Menangle Street Picton to allow flood free access

This project will study the feasibility of an upgrade to the Menangle Street culvert and South Picton diversion bank, to assist with controlling overland flow across Menangle Street. The assessment will look at the interaction of mainstream and overland flooding together with evacuation along Menangle Street and develop a concept road and drainage design for the upgrade to provide road access for the 1% annual exceedance probability events.

Wollongong City Council

Bellambi Gully flood mitigation scheme – stage 3 construction

The Bellambi Gully flood mitigation scheme is located between Pioneer Drive, Gladstone Street and the Holy Spirit College in Bellambi. The scheme has undergone multiple stages of investigation, modelling and design to prevent and reduce flooding of local roads and approximately 40 nearby properties. These works provide significant flood benefit for the local community, including eliminating or reducing flooding of properties and reducing the frequency and scale of floodwater overtopping the road at Pioneer Drive, Ellen Street and Gladstone Street.