South Cessnock Boosts Flood Defense for Residents
Cessnock City Council Stormwater Engineer Alex Newman, Program Co-ordinator Emma Beattie, State Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr, Cessnock City Mayor Daniel Watton, and Infrastructure Manager Cameron Clark at the South Cessnock bund wall on Thursday.
Residents in flood-prone South Cessnock now have an extra defence against inundation, with the completion of a 470m-long earth bund wall.
Cessnock City Council has recently completed construction of the wall and associated drainage, which stretches from the intersection of McFarlane and Quarrybylong streets south towards Evans Street.
The bund wall, which was the second stage of Council’s South Cessnock Flood Mitigation Program, received significant Commonwealth and State Government funding.
The first stage of work, diverting and widening a waterway downstream from the Kearsley Creek and Oliver Street channels, was completed last year.
South Cessnock has a notorious history of flooding. The problem has worsened since the 1980s due to mine subsidence, with significant inundations in 1990, 2007, and 2017.
Cessnock City Mayor Daniel Watton said completion of the bund wall was a milestone in Council’s flood mitigation program.
“This bund wall is a vital tool to help us significantly reduce the impacts of flooding on as many as 16 homes and 71 residential yards, which would otherwise go underwater in a one in one hundred year flood,” Clr Watton said.
“Thanks to the Commonwealth and NSW governments, particularly Subsidence Advisory NSW and the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water – by way of the National Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Program – for their significant funding contributions.”
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said the new bund wall would give South Cessnock residents greater peace of mind when heavy rain hits.
“I know how devastating repeat flooding can be for families and communities, and this project will make a real difference by helping to protect homes, reduce damage and ease the stress that comes with severe weather,” Minister McBain said.
“It’s great to see local and state governments working alongside the Commonwealth to deliver practical flood protection that will benefit the community now and into the future.”
Federal Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi said the project was an example of governments listening to the concerns of local residents.
“People in South Cessnock have been dealing with the impacts of flooding for far too long,” Mr Repacholi said. “This bund wall is a common sense solution that will help protect homes and give the community more confidence when storms roll in.”
Mr Repacholi also highlighted the economic and community benefits of the project.
“Projects like this don’t just safeguard property, they support jobs, boost local resilience, and show what can be achieved when all levels of government work together,” he said.
More information about the South Cessnock Flood Mitigation Program can be found on the project page here.
https://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/News/South-Cessnock-residents-better-protected-against-floodwater