NSW Reconstruction Authority – Central West

Community is at the centre of the recovery effort in the Central West. The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) is working with residents, community leaders, local councils (Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes) and recovery partners to support communities impacted by the 2022 floods.  

The Australian and NSW governments have jointly funded a $100 million Central West Recovery and Resilience package which includes:

• $40 million for the Resilient Homes Program Central West and $2 million for consultation
• $1 million for the Legal Aid Assistance Program
• $32 million for the Regional Transport Resilience Fund
• $25 million for the Community Assets Program

Resilient Homes Program - Central West  

Central West homeowners who experienced damage to their residential property during the 2022 floods will be able to apply for the $40 million Resilient Homes Program from 10am Monday 28 October 2024.

Funding will be available to buy back homes or as a contribution towards raising, rebuilding or retrofitting homes within the Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Euabalong in the Cobar LGA.

Homeowners may be eligible for one of the following streams:  
Home Buybacks – homeowner receives payment for purchase of their property, removing homes that pose the greatest risk to life.

Resilient Measures – grants available to raise, rebuild, relocate and retrofit homes - using design techniques and building materials to make homes
more resilient to future floods.

Home Assessments – in-home visits by a technical expert in flood resilience to provide homeowners with the information they need to consider
implementing flood resilience measures.

Applications will be prioritised based on: 

• Flood risk of properties
• severity of impact to properties from the 2022 floods
• the homeowners' individual and exceptional circumstances.
   

Find out more about the Resilient Homes Program.

The Program has been developed in collaboration with councils, community leaders and residents over two phases of community engagement in February and July/August 2024. Find out more about the community engagement at www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/resilient-homes-program-central-west 

Legal Aid Assistance Program 

The Legal Aid NSW team can assist Central West residents with legal advice about the Resilient Homes Program and other government grants. Assistance includes understanding program eligibility requirements, navigating the fine print and options that may be available to have a grant or program determination reviewed.  

Central West residents affected by the 2022 floods, are also able to seek advice from the Legal Aid NSW Disaster Response Legal Service for assistance in dealing with insurance claims, advice about settlement, denials and appeal rights. 

Residents can also contact Legal Aid NSW for assistance with other legal questions, including housing and tenancy matters, financial hardship, credit and debt, workplace rights and entitlements and domestic and family violence matters. 

To contact Legal Aid NSW call: 1800 801 529 

More information and self-help tools are available on the website Disaster Response Legal Service NSW 
 

Regional Transport Resilience Fund

The $32 million Regional Transport Resilience Fund (RTRF) will upgrade and repair transport infrastructure that was damaged during the extreme weather events of 2022. The fund will deliver more resilient transport networks and transport infrastructure like roads and bridges to be better able to withstand future severe weather events. 

Transport for NSW has been working in collaboration with Parkes, Forbes, Cabonne, and Lachlan councils to identify projects across the Central West that may be eligible for funding. Applications have now closed, and projects approved for funding will be announced soon.  

To learn more about the RTRF go to the website: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/regional-transport-resilience-fund 
 

Community Assets Program

The $25 million Community Assets Program has been developed to assist councils to repair, restore and improve community infrastructure damaged during the 2022 floods.  

Across Parkes, Cabonne, Forbes and the Lachlan local government areas, 21 projects have received almost $24 million in funding including:  
The Restoration of the Eugowra Pool and Amenities: repair and relining of the pool, refurbishing the existing amenities. Replacement of the leaking roof, and installation of accessible bathroom facilities. (Cabonne Council) 
Bushman’s Dam Flood Repair: repairs include bank stabilisation, vegetation removal, dredging, and wall reconstruction (Parkes Shire Council) 
The Forbes Netball Court (Stephan Field) Upgrades: upgrades to the netball and basketball facilities, including replacement of court surfaces. (Forbes Council) 
The Condobolin Memorial Park Flood Resilience Project: repairs, restoration and betterment of the Memorial Park playgrounds, BBQs, amenities, access paths and furniture. (Lachlan Shire Council) 

To view full list of successful projects, visit: www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/grant-recipients

Pods on Private Property and At-Home Caravan Program

Funding for the $40 million Pods on Private Property program and the $19 million At-Home Caravan program has been in operation since January 2023 across the Central West. 

As of September 2024, a total of 266 households have accessed the temporary housing programs in the Central West region. A total of 134 households have participated in the Pods on Private Property program, while 132 households have participated in the At-Home Caravan program.  

The program outcomes focus on providing disaster-impacted households with time to repair/rebuild their home and seek alternative appropriate housing, whilst ensuring residents continue to participate in the local community and economy in a similar way to their pre-disaster participation. 

To find out more, including how to apply, contact the NSW Reconstruction Authority. 
Phone: 1300 003 227 
Email: housingtaskforce@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au 
Web:  Central West temporary housing
 

Community Leaders Forum

The Community Leaders Forum (CLF) has been established to oversee the delivery of the $100 million Central West Resilience and Recovery Package. 

The CLF meets regularly to help guide future decisions about recovery and reconstruction and ensures discussions are led by community leaders and are informed by community needs. 

Forums are chaired by the Member for Orange, Mr Philip Donato MP, and are attended by the mayors of Cabonne, Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan councils as well as representatives from the Australian and NSW Governments. 

Meeting agendas and summaries can be found in the Publications and reports library.

View meeting agendas and summaries

Community Updates

To view the most recent Community Recovery Update go to the Publications page or email us.

Central West Community Recovery Update - November 2024

Support Services available

The following services are available in the Central West to support residents in their recovery journey.