The Gannawarra's flood recovery continues

The Gannawarra's flood recovery continues

Published on 14 August 2024

Gannawarra Shire Council continues to work with communities across the municipality and various agencies to recover from two Commonwealth-declared natural disasters – the 2022 floods, and the Christmas Day 2023 and January 2024 storm and flash flooding.

More than 40 per cent of the municipality was inundated by the Gannawarra’s second major flood event in 11 years, between October 2022 and January 2023, with the Gannawarra Community Resilience Committee leading flood recovery efforts.

The committee, which consists of 32 agencies who work in partnership to support the Gannawarra community, have worked to implement 47 actions contained in the Gannawarra Community Resilience Action Plan 2023-2025.

“There are various elements to the recovery process following any natural disaster, including the repairing of damaged roads and buildings, and rebuilding social connections and wellbeing that diminish during challenging times,” Gannawarra Shire Council Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Rollinson.

“The Gannawarra Community Resilience Committee, which is a formal sub-committee of the Gannawarra Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee, has done an amazing job in supporting our residents’ social recovery from the 2022 floods whilst also helping those impacted by the Christmas Day 2023 and January 2024 storms and flash flooding.”

As of 30 June 2024, 33 out of the 47 actions listed in the Gannawarra Community Resilience Action Plan 2023-2025 had been completed, with another 14 actions in progress. Highlights have included:

Partnering with community groups to host 169 events that promoted social connectivity. These events ranged from small arts and craft gatherings to major events such as the Summerdaze Festival to the Easter Saturday edition of the Murrabit Country Market; Development of the Gannawarra Flood Reflections video series, which captured a diverse range of flood stories and a One Year On collaboration; Creation of the Gannawarra Flood Reflections Exhibition, which featured 100 images highlighting response and recovery efforts following the 2022 floods; Promotion of business recovery initiatives that supported the Gannawarra’s economic recovery from the 2022 floods; Supporting Warren Davies (The Unbreakable Farmer), Brad McEwan (sports journalist and mental health advocate) and Jeremy Forbes (Hope Assistance Local Tradies founder) in hosting gatherings targeting the agricultural sector, sporting groups and male-dominated workplaces; The development of Gannawarra Shire Council’s submission to the Victorian Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee’s Inquiry into the 2022 Flood Event in Victoria. The commencement of restoration work around Middle Reedy Lake; Supporting pathways for First Nations people in self-determining recovery, highlighted by Reconciliation Week 2024 celebrations and development of the Draft Gannawarra Reconciliation Action Plan 2024-2026; and Providing emergency management, communications, psychological mental health and community recovery training and development opportunities for staff involved in the agencies to build capacity for future recovery events.

Work to implement the 14 actions in progress will continue during 2024/25. This includes:

The recent installation of mobile phone signal booster technology at the Benjeroop, Dingwall, Gannawarra, Koroop, Lake Charm and Myall halls, as well as the Macorna Recreation Reserve, made possible thanks to funding from the Emergency Recovery Victoria Community Hubs Funding Program; The development of a community flood recovery project at Middle Reedy Lake; The rollout of Make a Change Australia’s Let’s Talk About the Weather program, which aims to facilitate a community-wide discussion about the impact of extreme weather events on residents and communities and prompt new ideas, solutions and approaches for the future; and Partnering with community groups and service providers to host various events catering for people of all ages.

“Council continues to work with the State Government regarding joint Commonwealth and State Government-funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements to repair flood-damaged roads, with work to repair roads in the Benjeroop, Murrabit West and Capels Crossing areas commencing in July,” Mr Rollinson said.

“These repairs will make it easier for residents to travel to and from their properties via the quickest way possible, as well as provide greater connections between farming enterprises and services.”

For more information regarding the Gannawarra’s recovery from the 2022 floods and services available, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/floods