Disaster funding aims to reduce risk and speed up recovery

By Murray Silby

Mar 12, 2024

**Reducing risk:** Victorian Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes discusses flood maps with North Central CMA Waterways and Floodplain Project Manager Nathan Treloar (middle) and North Central CMA Strategy and Partnerships Executive Manager Rohan Hogan (right).

Greater Shepparton City Council will receive $125,000 to install a makeshift levee system to improve protection from floodwaters.

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The grant is part of a $9 million effort by the Federal and Victorian governments to reduce the risk and impact of disasters caused by natural hazards.

The contribution for Greater Shepparton was announced as part of the third round of grants under the National Partnership Agreement on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Victorian Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes was joined by representatives from North Central Catchment Management Authority and Loddon Shire Council in Newbridge for the announcement.

Newbridge is located along the Loddon River and has experienced flooding in recent years.

Almost 50 projects across Victoria will be supported through the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to minimise the risk and impact of natural disasters on local communities in line with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework.

Apart from Greater Shepparton City Council, the North Central Catchment Management Authority will receive more than $448,000 in risk and resilience funding to support three projects.

They include:

The FloodEye mapping tool that helps monitor flood information across Newbridge, Bridgewater, Clunes, Echuca and Quambatook;
The Loddon Flood Warning System Review to examine in detail the flood warning systems available to communities in the Loddon catchment;
The Traditional Owner and Floodplain Management in the Gannawarra Shire Project to better incorporate guidance from Traditional Owners in floodplain management and flood response activities.

“These programs highlight the incredible work local organisations are doing to reduce the risk of natural disasters and build resilience within their communities,” Ms Symes said.

“We’ll never be able to eradicate natural disasters, however we can ensure local communities are better prepared for when they occur."

Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the program aimed to help communities respond and recover quicker.

“A significant focus of the NPA is to help locally-led organisations address the risks that they have identified, with solutions that will help them better prepare and respond to increasingly frequent and intense severe weather events," he said.