Community invited to provide feedback on updated flood study

Novocastrians are being invited to have their say on a study designed to provide updated information on flood risks in parts of Newcastle and ensure future developments are fit-for-purpose in these areas.

Councillors last night voted to place the draft Throsby, Styx and Cottage Creek Flood Study on public exhibition for 28 days.

City of Newcastle (CN) was required to update the previous study, completed in 2008, following significant changes to Australian Rainfall and Runoff guidelines used to estimate flood impacts and behaviour. The changes relate to modelling methodology, rainfall patterns, and estimation of climate change impacts.

CN is responsible under legislation passed by the NSW government for flood risk management, including the completion of flood studies such as the Draft Throsby, Styx and Cottage Creek Flood Study. Work on the updated study began in 2021 following a grant from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

The Flood Study seeks to define current and future flood risk and behaviour, in order to reduce the risk to life and property now and into the future.

Feedback collected during the public exhibition will be used to help refine the Flood Study and allow CN to work with other government agencies to improve our flash flood alert system and respond to flooding events to keep our community safe.

Once adopted, the updated Flood Study will give residents and businesses clearer advice on flood risk within the 51 km² catchment east of John Hunter Hospital, providing longer-term certainty to ensure fit-for-purpose developments and improve the community’s resilience to the potential impacts of floods and climate change.

City of Newcastle is encouraging all residents, business and property owners within the relevant catchment areas to visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/yoursay by 24 August 2023 to review the updated Flood Study and find out what it might mean for them.

Drop-in information sessions will also be held to give the community an opportunity to find out more about the updated study:

Saturday 12 August - 1:30pm - 4:00pm

Adamstown Community Hall (153A Brunker Road, Adamstown)

Monday 14 August - 3:30pm - 6:00pm

Digital Library (12 Stewart Avenue, Newcastle West).