Tweed Shire Council’s Ongoing Commitment to Flood Recovery

As the Tweed community commemorates the twoyear anniversary of its most devastating natural disaster, food recovery remains a primary focus for the Tweed Shire Council. The catastrophic event, which commenced on February 28, 2022, and persisted through March of the same year, inficted over $369 million in damages to Council-owned assets. With 3,742 road damage items logged, the impact extended beyond roads to encompass water and wastewater infrastructure, parks, sports felds, and approximately 90 Council-owned buildings.

In response, Council crews and contractors have diligently worked to restore major road links and public infrastructure, emphasizing the integration of resilience measures to fortify community assets against future fooding incidents. Mayor Chris Cherry acknowledges the enduring hardships faced by food survivors, particularly those who suffered property inundation. “Recovery is a long journey, and we walk it together,” expresses Mayor Cherry, refecting on the tumultuous two years since the historic food event. Despite signifcant progress, challenges persist, compounded by subsequent fooding in January 2024, which incurred an additional $5.7 million in damages across 174 sites in the Tweed region.

To date, over $90 million has been allocated to food repair efforts since 2022, with 3,040 road restoration projects completed, constituting over 80% of roadwork damages by quantity. Noteworthy achievements include the restoration of key thoroughfares such as Scenic Drive, Reserve Creek Road, Limpinwood Road, Numinbah Road, Nimbin Road, and the addressing of a signifcant landslip on Tyalgum Road.

However, signifcant endeavours, such as the extensive Tyalgum Road landslip restoration, remain ongoing. Continued efforts extend to the rehabilitation of Kyogle Road, plagued by three major slips, and various ongoing projects including the reconstruction of Mt Warning Road, Urliup Road, and Stokers Road. Additionally, Council has successfully completed the cleaning and repair of 90 inundated Council buildings, including the Murwillumbah Community Centre, which underwent a $1 million renovation to enhance food resilience.

Furthermore, numerous food damage projects, such as riparian repairs along the Tweed River bank near Uki, revitalization efforts at the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre, and restoration works at the Murwillumbah sale yards, underscore

Council’s multifaceted approach to recovery. Additionally, initiatives to bolster community resilience include securing funding for sport and community facilities, food mitigation works, road causeway enhancements, and the construction of a new Council Depot.

Council’s dedication to community support is exemplifed through collaborations with the Australian Red Cross Emergency Service, establishing a network of over 25 Communityled Resilience Teams across the Tweed. This initiative, supplemented by the provision of portable radios, ensures effective communication and support during emergencies.

For comprehensive updates on Council’s food restoration endeavours, stakeholders are encouraged to visit tweed.nsw.gov.au/ food-restoration-works, reaffrming Council’s transparency and commitment to ongoing recovery efforts.