The NSW Reconstruction Authority is working with stakeholders and communities within seven local government areas in the Northern Rivers to provide more sustainable outcomes for all Northern Rivers communities.
Resilient Homes Program
| Resilient Homes Program Update* | |
|---|---|
Home Buyback Stream | |
| Offers made | 888 |
| Offers accepted | 753 |
| Settlements completed | 638 |
Home Raising and Home Retrofit Streams | |
| Homeowners engaged | 356 |
| Grants awarded | 43 |
| Home Assessments Completed | 262 |
Relocations | |
| Completed | 14 |
| In Planning | 53 |
| EOI (Phase 1) | 31 |
| *as at April 2025 | |
Recycling update
Over 70% of all materials have been recycled to date (excluding material contaminated by asbestos) including timber, metal and concrete. This includes:
- Metal – salvaged and reused where practicable (eg large beams), or transported to local scrap metal recyclers.
- Timber – subject to a hygienist’s confirmation that there is no contamination with lead based paints etc, timber is salvaged and reused where practicable (eg large beams), or transported to local timber/greenwaste recycler.
- Concrete/masonry/bricks/rubble – transported to established licenced concrete recycling facilities for crushing and reuse.
Reconstruction
A multi-million pipeline of flood infrastructure projects are being delivered across the Northern Rivers 7 LGA’s in response to Australia’s worst ever flood disaster in 2022.
There are more than 2500 infrastructure projects focused on improving disaster resilience and upgrading critical infrastructure being delivered by local councils and the NSW Government.
These include projects across water, sewerage, drainage, flood mitigation, transport and community infrastructure.
The seven flood-impacted Northern Rivers’ councils working with us to deliver projects are Tweed, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Kyogle and Clarence Valley.
Thirty-six projects are being delivered across the Northern Rivers as part of the $150m Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP), funded by the Australian Government and being rolled out by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
Our $145m Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Repair and Recovery Program is delivering essential repairs and upgrades to critical water and wastewater assets.
The Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program is a $5 million initiative to support primary producers in the Northern Rivers region impacted by the 2022 floods. This two-year pilot program aims to enhance the long-term resilience of the agricultural sector by repairing and cleaning out up to 100 drains identified by local councils as crucial for agricultural properties across the region.
Beneath the map below will find information on these programs listed per council.
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program
2 projects: $40.2m
1. Evacuation Route Raising - Comprises Ballina Island and west Ballina
- Stream: Flood mitigation infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: Mid 2026
- Funding: $40,000,000
2. Develop agricultural levee guidance
- Stream: Nature based solutions
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $200,000
Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program
16 sites
- Pre-Construction: 1
- Complete: 15
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
7 projects: $5.6m
- Pre-Construction: 1
- Delivery: 2
- Complete: 4
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program
4 projects: $12.56m
1. Byron Bay preferred drainage strategy
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: Mid 2027
- Funding: $11,800,000
2. Upgrade Coogera Circuit Detention Basin
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $550,000
3. South Golden Beach Flood Pump Generator
- Stream: Flood Mitigation infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $183,447
4. Investigate Options for South Golden Beach Flood Gate Upgrades
- Stream: Increase flood awareness
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $30,000
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
13 projects: $11.7m
- Pre-Construction: 6
- Delivery: 3
- Complete: 4
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program
5 projects: $1.8m
1.Interconnection of pump stations
- Stream: Flood risk mitigation infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: October 2025
- Funding: $550,000
2. Installation of flood gate and improve access to Alumy Creek at Westlawn Levee
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: Early 2025
- Funding: $615,734
3. Investigate flood free access to Junction Hill (Grafton) via The Summerland Way
- Stream: Community awareness and adaptation
- Status: Complete
- Funding: $35,000
4. Review internal drainage strategy (Maclean)
- Stream: Flood mitigation infrastructure
- Status: Complete
- Funding: $100,000
5. Stock mounds
- Stream: Flood mitigation infrastructure
- Status: Complete
- Funding: $500,000
Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program
1 site in pre-Construction
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
2 projects: $0.7m - Complete
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
10 projects: $5.5m
- Pre-Construction: 2
- Delivery: 2
- Complete: 6
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program
7 projects: $31.48m
1. Combined upgrades to pumps and pump stations
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Mid 2026
- Funding: $22,563,809
2. Fibre connect all flood pump stations
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Mid 2025
- Funding: $1,310,326
3. Electrify/install SCADA to replace tractor pump
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Late 2025
- Funding: $2,620,651
4. Mechanical trash racks at all 3 major pump station inlets
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Late 2025
- Funding: $3,275,814
5. Widen Browns Creek flood channel, culvert and re-route services currently restricting flow at Brewster Street
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Late 2025
- Funding: $1,000,000
6. Revitalise South and East Lismore Town Drains
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $210,000
7. Public Proposal - Lismore Flood Mitigation, Northern Rivers Resilience
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $500,000
New pumps to increase capacity at existing pump stations
- Lower Hollingworth Pump Station
- Browns Creek Pump Station
Refurbishment of existing flood gates to increase the structures’ useful life by at least 20 years
- Browns Creek Flood Gate
- Upper Hollingworth Creek Flood Gate
Construction of two new electric submersible pump stations
- Levee Near Snow Street
- Three Chain Road
Raise pump control rooms/towers in all pump stations
- Gasworks Pump Station
- Lower Hollingworth Creek Pump Station
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
14 projects: $78.2m
- Planning: 3
- Pre-Construction: 6
- Delivery: 3
- Complete: 2
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program
5 projects: $23.9m
1. Tatham bridge raising
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: Mid 2026
- Funding: $18,000,000
2. Dairy Flat road improvements
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $4,224,000
3. Thearles Canal culvert upgrade
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $1,478,414
4. Improve condition of Coraki and Woodburn town drains
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $150,000
5. Addressing data gaps in Floor Level recording
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $50,000
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
7 projects: $4.8m
- Delivery: 2
- Complete: 5
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program
7 projects: $9.86m
1. Earthworks across Lot 4 on Quarry Rd
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Late 2025
- Funding: $2,162,480
2. New Low flow pump Lavender Creek and CBD catchments
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Early 2026
- Funding: $2,569,106
3. New Pump System within East Murwillumbah Levee
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Mid 2026
- Funding: $1,461,114
4. Additional Wharf St Pump Capacity
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Pre-construction
- Planned completion: Late 2026
- Funding: $2,755,065
5. Development of detailed evacuation planning study for Tweed Shire Council
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: Late 2025
- Funding: $35,000
6. Alma Street South Murwillumbah modification work
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Delivery
- Planned completion: Late 2025
- Funding: $900,000
7. New pump systems behind Dorothy Street
- Stream: Flood risk management infrastructure
- Stage: Complete
- Funding: $1,626,000
Northern Rivers Agricultural Drainage Reset Program
43 sites
- Delivery: 8
- Complete: 35
Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Program
10 projects: $5.4m
- Pre-Construction: 3
- Delivery: 2
- Complete: 5
Resilient Lands Program
- Twelve sites are identified in the Resilient Lands Strategy to accelerate with funding and support from RA across all seven LGAs in the Northern Rivers.
- RA is actively working with Landcom, HomesNSW and other agencies to accelerate land development across the Northern Rivers.
- Combined, the current RLP sites could see more than 4,300 homes added across the region over time.
- Four homes have been moved to the Mount Pleasant Estate.
Coming up soon
- Ongoing engagement with buyback participants on the Mount Pleasant estate, with 4 homes complete for sale Q3 2025 and land available end 2025.
- Subject to land acquisition, the delivery of 85 lots at North Lismore plateau is expected to be available for sale in late 2026.
- Construction at Crawford Rd, East Lismore is scheduled to start in mid 2025, with land and new homes expected to be available from late 2026.
Resilient Homes Program participants who have accepted a buyback offer will be given the first opportunity to purchase new land and homes from most of the Resilient Lands Program sites before they’re offered to the open market.
Register your interest so you can be informed about program updates, site announcements and site engagement opportunities.
Please email concierge@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au or call on 1800 844 085 so our team can provide advice on how to register.