Between December 2023 and February 2024, the City of Greater Bendigo experienced widespread flooding across the municipality.
In addition to the cleanup, recovery and additional proactive inspection and maintenance works undertaken, the City has prioritised six key areas to receive upgrade and improvement works after they experienced significant flood and storm damage earlier this year.
The program of works includes:
- Willis Road, Huntly - install new box culverts
- Pasley Street, Huntly - drain reshaping/widening and driveway culvert upgrades
- Gungurru Road, Huntly - pit installation
- Domain Village, McIvor Highway, Junortoun - install new box culverts
- Strickland Street / Sullivan Street, Epsom - pipe realignment
- Railway Place / Midland Highway, Goornong - drain reshaping and widening and vegetation management, subject to V-Line authorisation
Chief Executive Officer Andrew Cooney said the works would take up to six months to complete.
"The works are subject to contractor and material availability, but these are our priority areas to receive treatment as soon as possible," Mr Cooney said.
"These areas have been chosen following an assessment of our customer request enquiries, feedback received through our recovery drop-in sessions held earlier this year, and impact assessment data undertaken immediately after the flood and storm events."
Priority pit inspection and drain clearing will also take place in the next three months in the following precincts:
- Dead Horse Gully/Shakespeare Street to Patterson Street, Heathcote
- Gungurru Road, Huntly
- McIvor Forest Estate, Junortoun
- Cameron Court / Aspiring Drive, Huntly
- Peake Court / Strickland Street, Epsom
- Heathcote Redesdale Road / Moylans Road, Redesdale
- Shakespeare Street floodway, Heathcote
Earlier this year the City submitted four applications to the Federal Government's Disaster Ready Fund.
Applications to undertake waterway flood mitigation plans for Epsom, Huntly, Junortoun and Heathcote, and prepare a Goornong Flood Study were successful.
Unfortunately, applications to prepare a separate Huntly drainage analysis and flood mitigation plan, with a focus on Goldleaf Wetland, and a drainage and culvert improvement program were not supported this time around.
Mr Cooney said despite being unsuccessful, the City would still release its share of the funds for these projects to progress works and would continue to seek other funding opportunities.
"The City will invest $2.25M over the next three years, with a particular focus on improving drainage and culvert infrastructure in Huntly, Junortoun and Heathcote. Our focus will be on fixing infrastructure that otherwise sees streets or suburbs cut off for a period of time when we get flood events.
"The City will also invest in expanding the scope of the Huntly waterway flood mitigation plan to include Goldleaf Wetland and use this process to identify future investment opportunities for the site, which is used as a detention basin to store stormwater runoff.
"The City is in the final stages of designing the Racecourse Creek levy, which would help mitigate flooding along the Epsom/Ascot/Midland corridor, to the right of Bendigo Creek, and will seek State and Federal funding to repair a critical 1.2km section.
"I thank residents for their patience when it comes to our flood recovery. The damage that has been caused is extensive and very expensive to fix."
To support the community's resilience during an emergency, the City is currently working with emergency services and community organisations on a range of emergency initiatives, including:
- Confirming locations for sandbagging before a rain event
- Ensuring clear processes and protocols are in place to activate emergency relief centres when required
- Facilitating conversations amongst agencies and community organisations about other emergency planning initiatives needed at a local level
Mr Cooney said the City was taking a community-led approach to understand what communities need heading into the summer months.
"This means the processes we put in place will be different for each community and we'll be working with local community groups to confirm the details and promote key locations where people can access help and support, as they are needed," he said.
"If we do find ourselves in an emergency this summer, these details will also be promoted via the City's social media accounts.
"The City also has a range of information on our website and an engagement program planned to raise awareness about how to prepare your property for floods and fires, and the importance of having a plan in the event of an emergency."
