Floods in Newcastle
Flooding is a natural process caused by heavy rainfall and/or elevated ocean levels.
It has helped to shape the landscape, creeks and swamps and floodplain on which much of Newcastle has been developed.
Flooding is in general a rare event but it will continue to happen in the future – even in suburbs where it is not obvious that we have built on floodplains. It is not possible to predict when, where, or how big the next flood will be. We can, however, estimate the likelihood of different sizes of floods and their consequences to plan in advance.
There are large potential risks to life from flooding in the Newcastle Local Government Area as well to property – especially in many of Newcastle’s suburbs where flooding can occur very quickly with little or no warning.
Research carried out by Council has confirmed there are no quick fix solutions to flooding in Newcastle, and the complete elimination of flood risks is practically impossible. So it is necessary to find ways to manage and live with the flood risks in Newcastle.
Potential flood areas in Newcastle
(click on map to download larger pdf document) 82 kb PDF*
The blue areas on the map could flood in the future. Many of these areas are in the suburbs away from the Hunter River Floodplain, which can experience flash flooding (such as happened on 8 June 2007- or worse).
What to do when it floods
The State Emergency Service (SES) responds to floods when they happen. The SES manages preparation measures and the coordination of immediate recovery.
The Newcastle SES Local Controller, with the assistance of Council, is responsible for ensuring Newcastle residents are aware of the flood threat in their area, and how to respond.
State Emergency Service Ph: 132500
Visit the flood contact page for more information about who to contact when it floods.
Contact us
City Administration Centre
282 King Street
Newcastle NSW 2300
Tel: 02 4974 2000