Australia: Creswick Flood Mitigation Works Begin

Water Minister Peter Walsh and Treasurer Kim Wells visited Creswick today to announce funding for works to minimise the impacts of any future flood events.

Mr Walsh said Hepburn Shire Council had successfully applied for flood mitigation works in the town as recommended in the Creswick Flood Mitigation and Urban Drainage Plan.

The plan was developed by Hepburn Shire Council, North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).

Mr Walsh said the people of Creswick were affected by flooding on three separate occasions throughout 2010 and 2011.

“The flood mitigation works are designed to reduce the impacts of a flood larger than the one that hit Creswick in January last year,” Mr Walsh said.

“A key feature of the plan has been strong community engagement and support for developing a preferred set of flood mitigation works for the town. These works will take the next step toward reducing the impacts of floods,” Mr Walsh said.

Technical information, mapping data and local knowledge about flooding events were all incorporated into the development of the solution for Creswick.

The total cost to implement the plan is $1.4 million. The first year of works is being funded with $225,000 from the Victorian Coalition Government, $325,000 from the Commonwealth and $100,000 from the Council.

“The works include excavation and re-shaping the Creswick Creek to increase its capacity to convey flood waters, and the construction of five systems of levees, walls and earthen bunds along Creswick Creek Saw Pit Gully and Nuggetty Gully,” Mr Walsh said.

Designing of additional culvert openings for both the Clunes Road and Castlemaine Road bridges, installation of one way valves on major drains and updating the Hepburn Planning Scheme with flood extent mapping for Creswick are also included in the works program.

The Coalition Government has already provided $100,000 for creek maintenance work, which was completed by the Hepburn Shire in partnership with North Central CMA, and $250,000 to develop the flood protection and drainage plan for Creswick.

Mr Wells said the Coalition Government moved quickly to address issues arising from last year’s floods, investing $432 million in mitigation works across the state to support affected communities.

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Press Release, September 5, 2012