Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative
Supporting the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is supporting the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales to drive long-term resilience by delivering priority projects that mitigate the impact of disasters on communities and economies in the region, and ensure that they are in a better position to recover from future disasters.
Understanding the vulnerability of the Northern Rivers region to the impacts of severe weather, and following the devastation of the February-April 2022 floods, the Government is committed to understanding the risk factors and broader influences on the region.
That is why $11.4 million has been committed to the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative, being undertaken by the National Emergency Management Agency and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), to understand climate, catchment, and hydrological drivers within the region and how these drivers impact flooding. This work is occurring in close collaboration with the NSW Government. The Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative is being delivered in two phases.
Phase 1 assessed and prioritised community supported options for flood mitigation projects.
- CSIRO prepared two reports related to this work, which NEMA and the NSW Government have considered.
- To read the reports please click below:
Phase 2 is a larger project to collect suitable data and construct a whole-of-catchment model for the Richmond River and test different flood mitigation scenarios.
This will inform longer-term flood mitigation measures, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
$150 million commitment to flood mitigation projects
The Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative informs the Australian Government’s commitment of $150 million to ensure the region is more resilient to future disasters.
CSIRO worked closely with Alluvium Consulting (an environmental consultancy), their local staff, and our local Recovery Support Officers to conduct a rapid review and assessment of flood mitigation options.
Meetings and workshops were held with local councils, community groups and other key stakeholders in the 7 Northern Rivers Local Government Areas to identify and prioritise existing projects that were considered an important first step towards improving the region’s flood resilience.
As part of the community consultation, more than 400 people attended at least one of the 15 community engagement sessions, and 345 surveys were completed. The projects put forward by CSIRO in its Phase 1 report inform the allocation of the $150 million, which is being confirmed in tranches following a due diligence review by the NSW Government.
Sixteen Tranche 1 projects totalling $50 million were announced on 23 February 2023. The remaining $100 million will be fully allocated within the next 6 months. The 16 projects comprise 41 proposals that were received by CSIRO.
Many of the projects align with recommendations from the NSW Flood Inquiry, and with local floodplain risk mitigation programs. All seven local government areas of the Northern Rivers region – Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed – will benefit.
Find out more about the work being undertaken by CSIRO.
Successful applicants and projects
Projects have been grouped into 4 Streams. The NSW Government continues to undertake a due diligence review and it’s highly likely projects under Stream 2 will be funded in future tranches.
Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk knowledge and awareness
- Community flood risk awareness
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding A regional program to increase community flood risk awareness partnering with all LGAs, including flood risk information campaigns and flood warning signs. Regional (all 7 LGAs) $3,000,000 - Regional and local floor level surveys
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding A regional program to complete floor level surveys for building across all LGAs to input into flood risk assessments. Regional (all 7 LGAs) $800,000 - Evacuation road infrastructure
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding A regional assessment of evacuation routes, their capacity and options for infrastructure upgrades across all LGAs. Regional (all 7 LGAs) $1,200,000
Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure
- Upgrades and maintenance of existing flood management infrastructure
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding Combined upgrades to pumps and pump stations (7 projects) Lismore $22,563,809 NP9 SGB Flood Pump Generator to provide protection from power failures Byron $183,447 CL15 Install box culverts through levee near North Street (Grafton) to improve local drainage prior to floodgates closing Clarence Valley $615,734 TW72 New Pump System within East Murwillumbah Levee to assist with drainage Tweed $1,461,114 NP42 Electrify/install SCADA to replace tractor pump to remove stormwater from the CBD Lismore $2,620,651 NP43 Fibre connect all flood pump stations Lismore $1,310,326 TW58 New low flow pump Lavender Creek and CBD Tweed $969,106 NP29 Mechanical trash racks at all 3 major pump station inlets to reduce the risk of rubbish and debris causing damage to pumps Lismore $3,275,814 - Road and bridge raisings
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding NP15 Dairy Flat road improvements for better access during and post floods
Richmond Valley $4,224,040 NP16 Thearles Canal culvert upgrade to improve drainage
Richmond Valley $1,478,414 - Flood mitigation infrastructure investigations
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding TW46 Earthworks across Lot 4 on Quarry Rd to preserve the South Murwillumbah Condong Flowpath
Tweed $942,480 TW59 Additional Wharf St Pump Capacity
Tweed $2,355,065
Stream 4 - Regional and local economic adaptation
- Community led resilience and regional/local economic adaptation
-
Project description LGA Australian Government Funding Community-led resilience initiatives such as the Community-led Resilience Teams (CRTs) program. This is to ensure that community-led resilience efforts are supported across all LGAs.
CRTs provide a formal structure, direction and guidance which complement community resources, people, and capacity. CRTs enable the collective community voice to be channelled externally benefiting emergency management organisations such as SES, RFS, and Councils.
Regional (all 7 LGAs) $3,000,000
Frequently asked questions
- Why hasn’t the whole commitment of $150 million been announced?
-
The projects are to be announced in tranches, with all projects confirmed within the next 6 months.
This means the full $150 million commitment from the Commonwealth’s Emergency Response Fund will be provided to the NSW Government for distribution shortly.
Of the projects identified by CSIRO that are eligible for funding under this program, 16 are ready to go and are being funded under Tranche 1 worth $50 million.
NSW continues to undertake a due diligence review of the remaining projects.
This due diligence review includes confirming project scope and costings, and for larger infrastructure projects, the necessary engineering assessments.
- Who will deliver projects?
-
The NSW Government will be responsible for managing the agreed projects under this initiative, and will report into the Commonwealth on a regular basis.
- When will see work on ground?
-
The NSW Government is managing these projects and will shortly be submitting an implementation plan confirming start dates for each of the announced projects. The Commonwealth works with NSW to ensure these projects can be delivered effectively and efficiently.
- Why so much in Lismore?
-
All seven local government areas of the Northern Rivers region will benefit from the projects funded under Tranche 1.
These projects will deliver new or upgrades to existing flood management infrastructure in five local government areas, and regional community flood awareness campaigns, floor level surveys, evacuation route assessments and community-led resilience teams across all seven LGAs in the region.
- How involved were the local communities of the Northern Rivers in informing the projects?
-
CSIRO worked with the councils, community groups and other key stakeholders in the seven Northern Rivers Local Government Areas to identify and prioritise existing projects that were considered an important step towards improving the region’s flood resilience.
- They ranged from upgrades to pumps and pump stations in Lismore to implementing flood safe community awareness campaigns.
When prioritising projects, CSIRO sought to balance the desire to get funding on the ground as soon as possible while also ensuring the projects would deliver meaningful impact and outcomes for communities.
- How have the projects been chosen to be funded?
-
CSIRO worked with the community to identify and prioritise existing project proposals.
These were then reviewed by the NSW Government to provide current costings and, for larger infrastructure projects, to conduct the necessary engineering assessments.
- Some projects were combined into a larger program of works to more easily manage their delivery.
- Some projects were consider to be so beneficial to the region as a whole, they were expanded beyond individual local government areas.
Each Tranche 1 project was then reviewed by the National Emergency Management Agency, and agreed by the Minister for Emergency Management.
The remaining tranche and funding will be decided in a similar way.
- What other support has the Northern Rivers region received?
-
The Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative is one of a number of significant investments the Australian and New South Wales Governments have made to help the communities recover from last year’s flood events and reduce the impact and severity of future floods.
Billions of dollars have been committed to recovery from the 2022 Eastern Australia floods, and in addition to the $11.4 million Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative and the $150 million for projects informed by this research, key programs specifically for the Northern Rivers region include:
- the Resilient Homes Fund ($700m);
- Regional Roads and Transport recovery package ($312.5m);
- Northern Rivers Business Support Package ($165m);
- Construction of new flood levees ($36m) and
- Back Home Grants ($182.5m)
The Australian Government also made disaster payments available for people shortly after the floods hit, including special supplementary and top-up payments in recognition of the significant and ongoing financial impact the floods had.