Reconstruction

The infrastructure reconstruction workstream works with relevant agencies, local authorities and the private sector to repair essential assets affected by flooding.

Decorative image
On this page

The workstream will identify an approach for the long-term adaptation of critical infrastructure needed to support resilient, productive and sustainable communities in the Northern Rivers. 

The Infrastructure  Recovery and Coordination Program and Critical  Infrastructure Adaptation Program will help deliver these outcomes. 

Infrastructure Recovery and Coordination Program

The Infrastructure Recovery and Coordination Program includes the Infrastructure Coordination Office (ICO), which was established to work with NSW Government agencies and local government to help coordinate the recovery of critical infrastructure across the region. 

There are over 2500 infrastructure projects across the 7 Northern Rivers LGAs that have been prioritised for delivery to balance community need and regional supply chain constraints. The NSW Reconstruction Authority works with all Northern Rivers Councils and government agencies to identify risks to deliver and implement initiatives and policies to fast track the recovery efforts across the region. 

The Resilient Land Program and Resilient Homes Program are major program enablers for the future delivery of critical infrastructure, such as water and wastewater connectivity with the supply of residential land, home retrofitting, repair and raising. 

The pipeline of work is currently being delivered across the 7 LGAs by Local Council and State agencies. If you are a registered business and interested in getting involved in the delivery of the infrastructure projects across the region, you can find a list of each individual procurement platforms (PDF 132.83KB) where you will be able to access current tenders and guidelines to support your applications. 

Critical Water and Wastewater Recovery

The NSW Reconstruction Authority is delivering key public infrastructure support programs in the Northern Rivers, including the $145 million Critical Water and Wastewater Recovery Program. 

Road Condition Assessment Program

The NSW Reconstruction Authority has completed a whole of region thematic condition mapping and subsequent repair prioritisation for over 6500km of sealed roads within the 7 LGAs.

Worker Accommodation

The NSW Reconstruction Authority is coordinating a program of work to increase accommodation available in the Northern Rivers for the temporary workforce in order to accelerate the regions flood rebuild without increasing the competition faced by local residents for scarce local housing stock. 

Critical Infrastructure Adaptation Program 

The Critical Infrastructure Adaptation Program will assess critical infrastructure assets across the region to understand their exposure and vulnerability to natural hazard risk. 

The program will identify region-wide, local, and asset-level mitigation and adaptation strategies for each asset, and develop a place-based, approach to deliver any investment needed to mitigate and adapt to this hazard risk. This work is underpinned by the region-wide All Hazard Risk Assessment.

Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program 

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is supporting the region to drive long-term resilience through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP). This $150 million program includes 36 flood mitigation and resilience projects across seven local government areas (LGAs) impacted by the devastating February and March 2022 flood events.

NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) is responsible for delivering these projects across all seven local government areas in the Northern Rivers region – Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed. 

The flood mitigation and resilience projects will provide: 

  • improved evacuation routes, community flood risk awareness and recovery services across the region
  • improved drainage in the townships of Byron Bay, Coraki, Grafton, Lismore, Murwillumbah, South Golden Beach, Suffolk Park and Woodburn 
  • new infrastructure such as widened flood channels across the region, raised bridges and roads
  • nature-based flood mitigation solutions across the region
  • technical investigations and studies to help better understand the flood risk and identify future infrastructure options.

The 2023-2024 Delivery Strategy for the program can be reviewed here. Further information by project can be found below.

Tranche 1 projects

Project number 

Project title

NEMA stream

LGA

Funding

1

Regional community flood risk awareness

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Regional

$3,000,000

2

Regional Floor Level Surveys

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Regional

$800,000

3

Regional evacuation route and infrastructure assessment program

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Regional

$1,200,000

4

SGB Flood Pump Generator

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Byron

$183,447

5

Install box culverts through levee near North Street Grafton

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Clarence Valley

$615,734

6

Combined upgrades to pumps and pump stations (7 sub-projects)

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$22,563,809

7

Electrify/install SCADA to replace tractor pump

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$2,620,651

8

Fibre connect all flood pump stations

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$1,310,326

9

Mechanical trash racks at all 3 major pump station inlets

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$3,275,814

10

New Pump System within East Murwillumbah Levee

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Tweed

$1,461,114

11

New Low flow pump Lavender Creek and CBD

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Tweed

$969,106

12

Dairy Flat road improvements

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Richmond Valley

$4,224,040

13

Thearles Canal culvert upgrade

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Richmond Valley

$1,478,414

14

Earthworks across Lot 4 on Quarry Rd

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Tweed

$942,480

15

Additional Wharf St Pump Capacity

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Tweed

$2,355,065

16

Community-led Resilience Teams (facilitated by the Red Cross)

Stream 4 - Regional and local economic adaptation

Regional

$3,000,000

Tranche 2 projects

Project number 

Project title

NEMA stream

LGA

Funding

17

Develop agricultural levee guidance

Stream 2 - Nature based solutions

Ballina

$200,000

18

Upgrade Coogera Circuit Detention

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Byron

$550,000

19

Investigate flood free access to Junction Hill (Grafton) via The Summerland Way

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Clarence Valley

$35,000

20

Review internal drainage strategy (Maclean)

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Clarence Valley

$100,000

21

Construct stock mounds

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Clarence Valley

$500,000

22

Interconnection of pump stations

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Clarence Valley

$550,000

23

Improve condition of Coraki and Woodburn town drains

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Richmond Valley 

$150,000

24

Revitalise South and East Lismore Town Drains

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$210,000

25

Investigate Options for South Golden Beach Flood Gate Upgrades

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Byron

$30,000

26

Tatham bridge raising

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Richmond Valley

$18,000,000

27

Addressing data gaps in Floor Level recording

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Richmond Valley

$50,000

28

Widen Browns Creek flood channel, culvert and re-route services currently restricting flow at Brewster Street

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$1,000,000

29

Caring for Our Catchments

Stream 2 - Nature based solutions

Regional

$5,450,000

30

Heal Our Rivers

Stream 2 - Nature based solutions

Regional

$6,200,000

31

Public Proposal - Lismore Flood Mitigation, Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Lismore

$500,000

32

Detailed evacuation procedures

Stream 1 - Increasing flood risk awareness

Tweed

$35,000

33

Alma St modification

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Tweed

$900,000

34

New pump systems behind Dorothy St

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Tweed

$1,200,000

35

Evacuation Route Raising - Comprises Ballina Island and west Ballina 

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Ballina

$40,000,000

36

Preferred Byron Drainage Strategy Construction 

Stream 3 - Flood risk management infrastructure

Byron

$11,800,000

Local delivery partnerships

RA is responsible for administration and delivery of the NRRRP in accordance with the Emergency Response Fund Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program 2022-23 - Federation Funding Agreement.

Projects will be delivered in a partnership between RA and delivery partners, including councils and non-government organisations such as the Australian Red Cross SocietyJagun Alliance Aboriginal Corporation and North Coast Regional Landcare Network.

Related information

Top of page