Warning about snakes on the plains: NSW Farmers
Farmers are reporting increased snake sightings as floodwaters force the reptiles onto higher ground. Sarah Thompson from the NSW Farmers Rural Affairs Committee said many members were reporting an increased number of snake sightings as a result of the flooding, which had also reduced access to veterinary treatment.
Southern Downs flood repair program
The Southern Downs Regional Council has been working on flood disaster recovery since March 2020. In addition to the normal Council works budget, more than $16 million has been spent on the flood repair program to date and a large portion of the works now expected to reach completion by June 2024.
Biggest country roads survey to be finished by end of the year
The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation and Transport for NSW with seven Northern Rivers councils are undertaking a whole of network road condition assessment across all sealed roads in the Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay and Tweed LGAs.
The Gannawarra’s flood response, recovery continues
Gannawarra Shire Council continues to support its communities impacted by the October 2022 floods, with residents continuing to reach out for support as the recovery process begins for some areas of the municipality. With the flood emergency about to enter an eighth week, Council is working with government agencies and other support services to assist residents impacted by this major flood event.
Flood situation update: Campaspe Shire Council
Many of our local traders are open for business as usual and we encourage you to shop local ... Kerbside household flood waste collections have been running in Rochester for around five weeks.
Gooramadda, Indigo Creek and Bells Flat Roads update
The scale of the damage to Gooramadda, Indigo Creek and Bells Flat Roads means that we’re still assessing the best way to restore access: Within the 24 hours of Monday 14 November and Tuesday 15 November, what initially appeared as a small sink hole on Gooramadda Road, Rutherglen has now totally eroded a large section of road.
Murray Darling Basin Authority is out of touch: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation has expressed outrage towards the comments made by Murray Darling Basin Authority Chief Executive Andrew McConville in his Rural Press Club address, 10 years after the Basin Plan gave the green light to take water from farming communities. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said Mr McConville’s commentary ignored the ongoing impact of the Murray Darling Basin Plan on farming communities and sounded like it was designed to appease the Federal Labor government ... “We expect the MDBA CEO to be professional and impartial, not a political sycophant. It seems he needs to re-read the Basin Plan as he forgot to mention in his speech that the 450GL is only possible if there are no negative social and economic impacts”.
Clean-up at Baringhup after the floods
“This is the worst flood I have encountered in the 10 years since I have been here. We experienced flooding in 2010, 2011 and this one which came into the house, the shop and other buildings for the first time. These buildings had remained flood-free for the past 100 years": Loddon House Caravan Park proprietor Robert Wilson.
Cambooya Landcare going strong
Felton Community Hall played host to the Cambooya Landcare Association 2022 Annual General Meeting last week, which saw the group retain a strong financial position and the current committee continuing into the new year ... The meeting included a presentation by guest speaker Ken Keith, who gave a background explanation of Agro-Ecology through his presentation ‘Transitioning to Agro-Ecology in Australian Agriculture - The Landcare Way’.
Flood emergency: Council to levy governments for funding of upgrades
Both the Narrandera Shire Council Mayor Neville Kschenka and General Manager George Cowan will lobby the State and Federal Governments for funding for upgrades to highways as well as the town’s water supply and stormwater systems ... Submissions will be lodged with the NSW Government seeking support for routine flood damage repairs, highlighting the importance of betterment to the Newell and Sturt Highways and the Narrandera town water supply and stormwater systems.
Moulamein flood meeting held
The Moulamein Club was packed as community members gathered on Monday to hear the flood advice from Murray River Council, SES and NSW Police ... “Since we started the last meeting last Monday, the prediction was 6.1m. By the time we left that meeting, the prediction was 6.2m and on Sunday morning, I believe it reached 6.099 metres which is now the highest we’ve ever seen": Murray River Council’s Director of Infrastructure, Jack Bond.
Detour distress
On any given day, the streets of Moulamein would see the odd fisherman or ute laden with dogs trundling by, but not last week. Moulamein was the highway of detour distress ... From road trains to hot rods, race cars to caravans, Moulamein exploded with Sturt Highway traffic desperately trying to find their way without the traditional Sydney to Adelaide route.
Stop building on floodplains chorus growing
Rodney Stevens. The united chorus of ‘Stop building on Floodplains’ from federal and state leaders during the devastating and ongoing flooding in NSW during 2022 could reshape communities and country towns. Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt last week called for new laws to be introduced to stop homes being built on floodplains and other disaster-prone areas.
SA River Murray update
Notice of community meetings, flood information, SES status, advice and links provided by Alexandrina Shire in South Australia, where the River Murray meets the sea and flooding is predicted.
State government secures flood defence resources for River Murray communities: Malinauskas, Szakacs
1.5 million sandbags and almost 8 km of flood barriers have been secured by the South Australia Government to help protect flood affected River Murray communities. Three kilometres of DefenCell barriers from India arrived in Adelaide on Saturday 19 November with a further four kilometres of product expected to arrive on 28 November from Italy.
Emergency funding pipeline critical for grain flow: GPA
Grain Producers Australia is calling on federal political leaders to deliver urgent solutions to fix infrastructure damage that’s having devastating impacts on farm viability and community safety ... The severe and untimely weather is also having a major impact on local road networks, exacerbating an already strained grains supply chain – not only on the east coast of Australia.
Floods impact businesses as supplies run short
Major flooding of the Murrumbidgee River at Narrandera is having such a detrimental effect on local business that some have been forced to close their doors. One of the main problems these businesses are facing is delivery trucks being unable to access the town due to flood-affected roads being closed. One business which has been badly affected this week was the Early Opener, which could have temporarily changed its name to the Early Closer on Monday.
Bulka bags fill breach
A complex aerial operation has placed bulka bags filled with 78,000 kilograms of sand along a levee bank west of the Loddon River at Kerang. The levee bank, situated near properties and major arterial roads linking Kerang to Swan Hill, Boort and Quambatook, breached when the Loddon River reached major flood levels in late October.
Trains return to Kerang
Kendall Jennings. It has been nearly a month since public transport was available from the Kerang Railway Station, halted by the floods. The Swan Hill line was reactivated on Saturday, November 12, running trains for the entire service after the line was inspected and passed last week.
Reconsider all travel as floods wreak havoc on roads in regional NSW: Farraway
Motorists are being urged to reconsider their travel plans, after floodwaters closed or damaged major roads and highways across the Central Tablelands, Central West, Orana and Far West. Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said heavy storms on Sunday and Monday morning brought falls of 120 millimetres of rain from the Blue Mountains to the Far West, causing significant damage to roads, bridges and transport infrastructure.
North Queensland flood warning infrastructure project complete: Miles
An $8 million project to upgrade North Queensland’s flood warning network is now complete with 180 new flood warning assets installed across 28 council areas in the Far North, North and North West of the state.
River levees to be reinforced to protect community
Mildura Rural City Council. Work is about to start on a major project to reinforce or establish levees along a three-kilometre stretch of riverfront ... Working under the direction of lead agency the Victorian State Emergency Service, Council will reinforce or add to existing earthen levees along a 1.5-kilometre stretch of riverfront near Flora Avenue and Ranfurly Way to protect against predicted peak flood levels.
