Whether it is determined to be permanent changes to global weather patterns, the fact Australia’s east coast is experiencing its third straight year of the La Niña weather phenomenon/cycle – which is associated with increased rainfall – has wreaked havoc on rural and regional communities.
At the time the one in 100 year flood warning was issued for Forbes in November 2022 there were more than 100 flood warnings in place across NSW and 84 in Victoria. The Bureau of Meteorology was predicting some areas were still yet to receive more than a month’s rain in just 24 hours.
Heavy and sustained rainfall in dam catchments increased the height of riverine flooding and also caused significant flash floods across NSW.
Now almost 10 weeks later, communities downstream are still being severely impacted by the wash of flood water as it makes it way to South Australia.
Since July 2022, Forbes had been experiencing higher than average rainfall and moderate to major flooding with predictions for a flood level close to that of the 1952 flood which decimated the community.
In times of major floods, Forbes is often cut in two – the north and south, in record breaking floods, the town’s CBD also becomes an island isolated from north and south cutting all access to pharmacies and supermarkets. Emergency and support services locate teams on the north and the south to support the whole community.
Forbes Shire Council’s role was to prepare the community, the people and the assets, and through the events gather the best information available and share it.
Council’s works manager, Dan Speer, fulfilled the LEMO (Local Emergency Management Officer) role, while many council staff assisted the SES with its sandbagging operation as well as running a secondary sandbag supply for people in the south of Forbes.
Road crews maintained road safety around town as the floodwater and curiosity rose quickly in town. The water treatment plant, located on the river, had been readied to maintain supply and preparation advise had been provided to the community.
Council’s front desk staff became a primary contact for flood related enquiries and assurance, the Visitor Information Centre took thousands of calls as a flood information service, advising people travelling how to get through when all roads through Forbes were closed.
The assets teams worked to safeguard as many of the community parks, buildings and facilities, as the water levels continued to climb and the flood pushed its way into town.
Flood communications had begun in earnest to filter concise, accurate and timely messages for a community preparing to face an uncorrelated danger from the flash and riverine flooding.
The Mayor, Phyllis Miller, issued daily, sometimes twice daily local updates as well as maintaining a strong connection with national and regional news outlets. Council also acted to clarify emergency information and delayed advice on behalf of the community.
During the flood peak, council staff were bracing for the next stage of action. It feels extremely unnatural to be isolated in your own community – keen for news and images of areas important to you. Council staff and the whole community shared pictures and experiences to keep everyone up to date and to mitigate those curious to go out and investigate while there was still a risk.
As the waters began to recede from the around the CBD island, council crews moved in quickly to reestablish major thoroughfares and ensure the safety of people. The urban services crew, the army and other emergency response personnel worked side by side to quickly reclaim the CBD – which seemed to lift community spirits considerably.
Then the arduous and ongoing task of recovery commenced – again for the community and its assets.
This work will continue for many months and years to come – as people rebuild and re-establish their homes, their lives, their businesses. Works will continue to reclaim our community’s assets – while the new barbecue ignitors arrive, to replace the pool’s stainless steel handrail snapped off when a freezer from a local service station washed past and snapped it off and to rebuild that sense of resilience central to our community.
Council called in the assistance of a sonar team to dredge the garbage, a full oil drum, tyres and other debris which were washed into the local ski dam on the outskirts of town. This work was fast-tracked to enable the community access to the favourite summer spot and take another important step on the road to recovery.
Forbes Shire Council’s whole team worked twice as hard, under stressful circumstances, to make sure the business of council was able to continue.
Many staff, their homes and properties, were directly affected but continued to work at their jobs- a real credit to each and every one of them.
Not just the frontline workers but also IT, finance, payroll etc. Everyone worked well. above and beyond.
