Gannawarra Shire Council continues to assist the community as it recovers from the October-December 2022 floods and responds to storms that have impacted residents on Christmas Day 2023 and early January 2024.
This page is a resource for residents including details for road closures, support available to impacted residents and community events and activities.
NOTE: If you need assistance due to flooding, please phone the Flood Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday (closed on weekends and public holidays), Council on (03) 5450 9333 or visit the State Government website.
Since January 2023 Council has produced a regular publication outlining local recovery efforts and support available.
To view the latest edition of this publication, please click on the image above.
Printed copies of the publication are available from Council's Customer Service centres in Kerang and Cohuna.
ABOVE: Marne Street, Kerang following rain on Christmas Day 2023.
Have you been impacted by floods or storms in one of the following ways:
- Water has gone through your residence or property
- Water is or has surrounded your property, leading to isolation
- You have needed to evacuate, or have chosen to evacuate
- Your business has closed
- Your agricultural business has been impacted
If you have been impacted by one of the ways listed above or require assistance from Council for a similar situation, please contact Council during business hours on (03) 5450 9333 or complete the form below.
Support is available for businesses impacted by the Christmas Day 2023/January 2024 floods and storms:
Report your damage
Please complete the form under the Have you been impacted by the floods/storms heading to keep connected with assistance made available by the State or Federal governments. Information provided also assists Council to report statistical data (not including personal information), which is provided to all levels of government to highlight the impacts these weather events had on businesses in the Gannawarra.
Business Victoria's Business Recovery Advisory Service
The Business Recovery Advisory Service, delivered by Business Victoria in partnership with Australian Industry Group, can provides expert guidance and tailored support to small businesses. For more information, click on the image below:
Partners in Wellbeing
Partners in Wellbeing provides free, confidential, one on one support to improve your financial, business and emotional wellbeing. For more information, click on the image below:
Business Support Flood Recovery Program
The Business Support Flood Recovery program aims to help businesses establish resilience in their operations and company culture to ensure long-term success.
The program provides assistance to small business owners (up to 20 employees) with everything from hiring and onboarding employees to creating a safe and productive workplace and establishing a strong business management foundation.
Enrolment in the program is FREE for businesses, with under 20 employees, severely impacted by 2022/23 Victorian flood events.
For more information, click on the image below or phone the Business Solutions Hub “Business Support Flood Recovery” hotline on 1300 445 687 and select option 1.
The following Council-managed roads are closed (information correct as of 3pm Thursday, 8 August 2024):
- Apex Park Road, Reedy Lake (bridge failure)
- Wood Lane, Appin (bridge over Loddon River is damaged)
The following roads have changed conditions (information correct as of 3pm Thursday, 8 August 2024):
- Kervins Road, Cohuna (30-tonne weight limit on bridge over Barr Creek)
Information regarding road closures can also be found via the VicTraffic website. To view this page, please click on the image below:
The Victorian and Australian governments have provided financial support for people, businesses and farmers affect by the 2022 floods. Although many of the grants have closed, the following are still available for eligible residents including:
- State Schools Relief: For more information, please click here.
For more information regarding additional assistance available, please visit the Victorian Government's 2022 Flood Recovery portal by clicking on the image below:
Need for Feed
Farmers needing to access fodder for their livestock can apply for assistance from Need for Feed Australia. Established in 2006/07, this Lions International-supported initiative is recognised as the leading provider of emergency fodder at a state and national level by governments and other agencies.
For more information and to apply, please click on the image below:
Gannawarra Giving Account
The Gannawarra Giving Account has been reactivated to assist with the community’s recovery from the 2022 floods.
Initially created by Northern District Community Health and the Gannawarra Resilience Committee - a group consisting of 28 agencies working together to ensure planned and coordinated community support across the Gannawarra Shire - the account will support initiatives that help rebuild community connections and assist individuals affected by the floods.
Managed by Northern District Community Health, all donations over $2 are tax deductible.
For more information or to donate, please click on the image below:
GIVIT
GIVIT is working with the State Government to manage donations of essential items and services for people impacted by floods across the state.
GIVIT is managing corporate and public offers of donations of items, services and funds for people impacted by floods across parts of Victoria through the GIVIT Storms and Flooding Appeal.
GIVIT works directly with councils, outreach teams, recovery organisations, charities, community groups and schools to identify exactly what’s needed to make sure people get what they need, when they need it.
If you are a charity, council, outreach team, recovery organisation, community group and you are assisting people in Victoria impacted by flooding, please register for free by clicking here. Once registered, you can request donations of items, vouchers and services to support the community.
Rural Financial Counselling Service support
RFCS Victoria West’s Small Business and Rural Financial Counsellors are available to assist farmers and small business owners navigate the range of flood relief grants and government support.
Team members can assist from the beginning to the end of the application process and support you through your flood recovery.
RFCS Victoria West also has a team of qualified Wellbeing Counsellors available to ensure anyone working with a financial counsellor is fully supported.
For more information, please phone 1300 735 578 or click on the image below:
Agriculture Victoria
Agriculture Victoria has developed a range of resources to assist farmers during the flood recovery process.
Agricultural losses can be reported via the online form or by contacting the Agriculture Recovery team on 0427 694 185 or at recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au
For more information, click on the image below and visit the "What to do after a flood" or "Resources for farm recovery after flood" sections:
Farm waste management
The Environment Protection Authority Victoria has developed a fact sheet regarding cleaning up your home and property safely following a flood event. To view this fact sheet, please click on the image below:
Rural Aid
Rural Aid can assist with the following items:
Fodder: Rural Aid sources and delivers fodder for primary producers when there is a localised need for assistance.
Domestic Water: Rural Aid coordinates domestic water deliveries to assist farmers in need of household water. All farmers registered with Rural Aid can request a load of domestic water once per quarter, per farm. A local water carter will then to deliver a load of potable water directly to your house tank.
Farm Army: The Farm Army is a job posting platform for farmers and workers or volunteers. Farmers can post a variety of jobs on a volunteer or paid basis. They can also offer positions on a contra basis, where applicants work in exchange for meals and/or accommodation. Rural Aid provides the platform where farmers list jobs, but is not involved in the applicant selection process.
For more information regarding these services, please click on the image below:
Flood waste from the Christmas Day 2023 and early January 2024 storms can be disposed of at any of Council’s transfer stations.
For details regarding transfer station locations and opening hours, please click here. Residents accessing this service will need to provide their name, address and phone number upon request.
Sandbag disposal
Sandbags that have been in contact with floodwater can be taken to Council’s transfer stations at Cohuna, Kerang, Lalbert and Quambatook for disposal. For locations and operating hours, please click here.
If you have large quantities of sandbags for disposal, please contact Council on (03) 5450 9333.
As outlined in the Transfer Station Fees and Charges document, disposal of sandbags is covered in the Domestic waste delivered by any other means category.
Information regarding the disposal of sandbags can be found on the Environment Protection Authority Victoria website. To view this page, please click here.
Cleaning up your property safely
The Environment Protection Authority Victoria has developed a fact sheet regarding cleaning up your home and property safely following a flood event. To view this fact sheet, please click on the image below:
Beware of asbestos
WorkSafe has developed a fact sheet regarding the dangers of asbestos-containing materials when cleaning up after a flood. To view this fact sheet, please click on the image below:
For more information regarding resources and information, please click on any of the images below:
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Information that can assist residents returning home
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Minimising risks associated with mould
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2022 Victorian Floods and 2023/24 Flood/Storm
Recovery Support Program
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Flood recovery support
for Victorian farmers
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Legal support, financial counselling and mental health referrals
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Providing a range of health services and support to the Gannawarra community
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Practical help and resources to use before, during and after emergencies.
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Frequently asked questions
regarding cleaning up
after disasters, such as floods
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Information for tenants and landowners of properties impacted by the floods
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The Victorian Parliamentary Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee investigated the state’s preparedness for and response to the October-December 2022 floods.
The inquiry looked into the flood event as a whole and the areas affected, and considered factors such as what caused or contributed to the Flood Event; emergency services; government policy; flood mitigation strategies; and the Victoria planning framework.
To learn more about the inquiry, including its final report, please click here.
Council provided a submission to the inquiry, developed with input from residents impacted by the floods, the Gannawarra Community Recovery Committee, flood observers and Council staff. To view this submission, please click on the image below:
Council is working with the community to implement actions outlined in the Gannawarra Community Resilience Flood Recovery Action Plan, which is guiding our recovery from the October-December 2022 floods.
As of 30 June 2024, 33 out of the 47 actions listed in the Gannawarra Community Resilience Action Plan 2023-2025 had been completed, with another 14 actions in progress. To learn more about what has occurred, please click on the image below:
To read the Gannawarra Community Resilience Action Plan 2023-2025, please click here(PDF, 657KB).
You can learn more about some of the events that have occurred by reading the following case studies below:
Council and Northern District Community Health partnered to produce the Gannawarra Reflections video series, which highlighted how residents were impacted by the October-December 2022 floods and how the community continues to support each other.
To view any of the videos, please click on the heading below.
Reedy Lake
Major flooding of the Loddon River and Wandella Creek inundated properties and left residents living between Kerang and Lake Charm isolated during the October-December 2022 floods.
In the first of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, Katrina talks about how she and her young family managed during this period.
Kerang
During October 2022 Kerang residents united to fill thousands of sandbags, which were used to protect properties and infrastructure across the Gannawarra.
In the second of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, Kerang Fire Brigade Captain, Ramon Steel talks about efforts undertaken to protect properties from major flooding of the Loddon River for a second time this century.
Quinn family farm
The October-December 2022 floods significantly impacted the Gannawarra's agricultural sector.
In the third of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, the Quinn family talk about how they and the community united to protect infrastructure and livestock from the floods.
Murrabit
Murrabit and district was significantly impacted by the October 2022 floods, with flows from the Loddon River cutting off Murrabit West and Benjeroop.
In the fourth of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, retired school principal, Neil Hopkins talks about how residents united during flood preparation efforts and how they are continuing to support each other during the recovery process.
Koondrook
The October-December 2022 floods were the first major flood event to impact Koondrook since 1975.
In the fifth of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, community leader, Bryan Goble and his son, Nathan talk about how the community looked to its leaders and emergency service personnel for guidance to prepare for increased flows from the Murray River and Gunbower Creek.
Cohuna
The Gannawarra's young people played a key role in assisting residents impacted by the October-December 2022 floods.
In the sixth of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, Cohuna Secondary College students and staff talk about how they were impacted by the floods and the role they played in supporting the community.
Quambatook
Knowledge and preparedness is important during flood events, with flood wardens located across the Gannawarra Shire playing a pivotal role.
In the final of the Gannawarra Reflections videos produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, local flood warden, Leo Parker talks about how Quambatook prepared for flooding along the Avoca River during October 2022, as well as how work undertaken after the 2011 floods protected the town 11 years later.
One Year On
Twelve months after the October-December 2022 floods, communities across the Gannawarra are at different stages of the recovery process.
The Gannawarra Reflections - One Year On video, produced by Council and Northern District Community Health, features people who appeared in the original seven-video Gannawarra Reflections series, who all provide an update on how they and their communities are managing.
Following a reference from the House of Representatives on 7 August 2023, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics commenced an inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims, including for the October-December 2022 floods that impacted the Gannawarra Shire.
For more information regarding the inquiry, please click here.
Photographs and drone footage captured during the 2022 floods featured in the Gannawarra Flood Reflections Exhibition, which premiered at Kerang's Sir John Gorton Library in March 2024 and travelled to various locations throughout the municipality.
Council received a significant number of items for this special exhibition, which records residents’ perspectives from what was the Gannawarra's second major flood in the space of 11 years.
All items that featured in the Gannawarra Flood Reflections Exhibition were professionally presented and returned to contributors following the exhibition’s tour, with digital images and drone footage to be retained by Council for historical purposes.
The exhibition was funded by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) as part of the Gannawarra Community Flood Recovery Program.
To view the images that formed part of the Gannawarra Flood Reflections Exhibition, please view the video below:
Click to play the video
to view the video full-screen
NOTE: Please contact Council if you wish to republish any of the images featured in the exhibition.