Media release from The Hone Paul Toole MP, Member for Bathurst Electorate.

The NSW Government has provided a boost to disaster resilience, today announcing a $1.88 million funding injection to the Floodplain Grants Scheme, including $60,000 for flood mitigation works in the Lithgow area.

Bathurst MP Paul Toole said Lithgow City Council will receive $60,000 for a Lithgow floodplain risk management study and plan around the Farmer’s Creek and Marrangaroo Creek catchments. He said this funding will go towards working with locals to gather an understanding of their knowledge about flooding in these areas and understand their issues as well as how to manage these risks. The work will build on the 2017 Lithgow flood study review.

“In a place like Australia, where we can suffer bush fire one day and floods the next, building community resilience for natural disasters is vital. Councils have an important role to play to help communities understand and manage this issue,” Mr Toole said.

“Grants like this are about managing the present and future flood risks for these catchments to ensure community safety remains the NSW Government’s top priority. “Disaster resilience and preparation is the greatest tool communities have at their disposal when disaster strikes.

“I am sure this grant to the Lithgow City Council will be important to the community in reducing the impact to personal safety, property and environment.”

The Floodplain Grants Scheme supports projects across NSW ranging from flood studies to the construction of flood mitigation infrastructure such as detention basins, levees, crossings, floodgates and flood warning systems.