Natural Disaster Reconstruction Works

The Shoalhaven was declared a Natural Disaster Area 6 June 2024 (AGRN 1129) a severe weather and flooding event. Damages from this event are still being captured: 150  total damages have been recorded to date. Therefore, the damage bill repair estimate is not yet available. Council is currently working to secure funding to repair these wide-ranging damages.

The Shoalhaven was declared a Natural Disaster Area 7 April 2024 (AGRN 1119) a severe weather and flooding event. Damages from this event are still being captured; 310 total damages have been recorded to date. Therefore, the damage bill repair estimate is not yet available. Council is currently working to secure funding to repair these wide-ranging damages.

Wide ranging damages to infrastructure includes flood levees, embankment, bridges, culvert/floodway, roads (sealed & unsealed), stormwater and emergency works.  

Below: Emergency cleanup works were required to provide access on Wattamolla Road.

Find information on natural disaster road repair and reconstruction works on our Natural Disaster Repair Works Listings page.

The latest

20/6/2024 - Repair works from these events are either being scoped, in planning or in progress. 

16/04/2024 - Damage and road repair works following this event are significantly progressed on some of the hardest hit roads, Kangaroo Valley Road, Yalwal Road and Wattamolla Road.

08/04/2024 - Council's Natural Disasters team and crews in each district (Northern, Central, Basin and Southern) are working to provide access for residents as soon as is practicable and are planning repair works. Recovery works have started on Kangaroo Valley Road and Yalwal Road, with temporary access works on Yalwal Road planned Thursday 11 April to Friday 26 April 2024, weather permitting.

The Shoalhaven was again declared a Natural Disaster Area for the NSW severe weather and flooding event 28 November 2023 onwards (AGRN 1086). Damages from this event are still being captured, however, to date the recorded infrastructure damages total 333, with approximately $1M in emergency cleanup work to date.

Wide ranging damages to infrastructure includes bridges, roads (sealed and unsealed), culverts/floodway, cycleway, footpaths, storm water (sink holes) and emergency cleanup works. Council is currently working to secure funding to repair these wide-ranging damages.

This event caused severe damage to road approaches along Yalwal Road, with heavy deposits of tree debris. Temporary road repairs to restore access are planned to be completed by 22 December 2023. Final road repairs are planned for February 2024.

Below: Yalwal Road and Yarramunmun Bridge were severely impacted and re-damaged.

Find information on natural disaster road repair and reconstruction works on our Natural Disaster Repair Works Listings page.

The latest 

08/05/2024 - Yalwal Road and Yarramunmun Bridge are open. Final sealing works are planned to be completed in early April 2024, weather permitting.

The Shoalhaven was declared a Natural Disaster Area 22 February (AGRN 1012), 27 June (AGRN 1025) and 14 September (AGRN 1034), all severe weather and flooding events. Recorded infrastructure damages totaled 1347, the total damage bill estimate is $85 million. 

Wide ranging damages to infrastructure included landslips, flood levee's, jetties, boat ramps, beach stairs, bridges, roads (sealed & unsealed), culverts, footpaths, storm water (sink holes), roadside furniture and emergency works. Council successfully secured funding to repair wide ranging damages, including 38 major landslips across 15 roads for the Major Landslip Package. 

Below: Damages on Woodhill Mountain Road required immediate clean-up works.

Find information on natural disaster road repair and reconstruction works on our Natural Disaster Repair Works Listings page.

The Major Landslip Package

Council's Natural Disasters Team has championed this project to completion, collaborating and working closely with the contractor Symal, Public Works Authority (PWA) and council teams. 

Some challenges overcome during these works include providing adequate access for community during works, effectively communicating road closures to community and during the final stages of completion works absorbing the impacts of three (3) more natural disasters; 28 November 2023 (AGRN 1086), 7 April 2024 (AGRN 1119), and 6 June 2024 (AGRN 1129).

All fully completed and reconstructed landslips in the package withstood the latter three (3) severe weather events, proving the completed and repaired major landslips robust in the face of extreme weather events. A defining test of the completed works.

The latest

15/7/2024 - Finishing off works on Foremans Road, Woodhill, are in progress while the final landslip in this repair package on Bunkers Hill Road, Barrengarry, is due for completion 10 September 2024.

20/6/2024 - Final works have been disrupted and delayed on Bunkers Hill Road, Burrier Road, Foremans Road and Wattamolla Road by two (2) recent natural disaster events, 6 June and 7 April 2024. However, finishing works are in progress as favourable weather conditions prevail.

16/05/2024 - Repair works near completion on the final four roads; Bunkers Hill Road (5), Burrier Road (5), Foremans Road (2), Wattamolla Road (3).

Major landslip reconstruction works (38 landslips) are completed on: Abernethys Road, Bamarang Road (2), Browns Mountain Road, Hughes Road (2), Kangaroo Valley Road (2), Mount Scanzi Road (8), Suffolk Road, Upper Kangaroo River Road (4), Wogamia Road, Woodhill Mountain Road (2) and  Yalwal Road.

Council and contractor Symal are working diligently for completion of the Major Landslip Package for mid-2024, weather permitting. To date, they have delivered a robust result.

Disaster declarations are issued by the NSW Government and each declaration has an associated Australian Government reference number (AGRN). For example, the Shoalhaven was declared a Natural Disaster Area for the 28 November 2023 Storm Event (AGRN 1086) after heavy rain and flooding caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure.

These declarations and their AGRNs are listed on the NSW Government website, to assist affected communities and individuals in accessing a range of special assistance measures. If an area has been declared a disaster, affected communities and individuals may have access to disaster relief assistance.

Financial year 2023-24

• NSW severe weather and flooding from 6 June 2024 onwards (AGRN 1129)
• NSW severe weather and flooding from 7 April 2024 onwards (AGRN 1119)
• NSW severe weather and flooding from 28 November 2023 onwards (AGRN 1086)

Financial year 2022-23

• NSW severe weather and flooding from 14 September 2022 onwards (AGRN 1034)

Financial year 2021-22

• NSW severe weather and flooding from 27 June 2022 onwards (AGRN 1025)
• NSW severe weather and flooding from 22 February 2022 onwards (AGRN 1012)
• NSW severe weather and flooding from 9 November 2021 onwards (AGRN 987)

Financial year 2020-21

• Southern NSW storms and floods from 5 May 2021 onwards (AGRN 970)
• NSW storms and floods from 10 March 2021 onwards (AGRN 960)
• NSW storms and floods from 20 October 2020 onwards (AGRN 936)
• NSW storms and floods from 5 August 2020 onwards (AGRN 923)
• NSW storms and floods from 25 July 2020 onwards (AGRN 922)

Financial year 2019-20

• NSW storms and floods from 15 January 2020 onwards (AGRN 898)
• NSW bushfires from 31 August 2019 onwards (AGRN 871)

Financial year 2018-19

• Shoalhaven bushfires from 11 August 2018 onwards (AGRN 818)

As these severe weather events have been declared as natural disasters, Council is eligible for federal funding to restore essential infrastructure under strict conditions outlined in:

• Commonwealth Disaster Funding Recovery Arrangements 2018 (DRFA)
• NSW Disaster Assistance Arrangements | NSW Government

Under these funding arrangements, Council is seeking funding under Category B measures for ‘restoration of essential public assets’.

There are three distinct stages of restoration works:

Stage 1: Emergency work (EW)

Emergency Works are urgent activities necessary to temporarily restore an essential public asset to enable it to operate at an acceptable level of efficiency to support the immediate recovery of a community, and takes place:

• prior to or at the same time as Immediate Reconstruction Works and where no Essential Public Asset Reconstruction Works are required, or
• prior to the council commencing Essential Public Asset Reconstruction Works.

Stage 2: Immediate reconstruction work (IRW)

Immediate Reconstruction Works are immediate reconstruction activities following an eligible disaster carried out to fully reconstruct a damaged essential public asset, and where no Essential Public Asset Reconstruction Works are required.

Stage 3: Essential public asset reconstruction work (EPARW)

Essential Public Asset Reconstruction Works are reconstruction works on an essential public asset damaged as the direct result of an eligible disaster for which an estimated reconstruction cost has been developed.

Council uses a 'Trigger Action Response Plan' (TARP) to assess and manage when to close a road for public safety. The TARP assists Council to manage existing and historical land slip sites based on predicted rainfall events.

Roads currently affected due to landslips can deteriorate and slip further after additional heavy rainfall. Council has trigger points when deciding to close a road to all traffic for safety reasons:

Please note: Due to the unpredictable nature of landslip hazards, in most cases it is not possible to give advance notice of a road closure before a road closure is implemented. Council understands the impact that a road closure can have on residents and the community, and only implements such measures in the face of imminent risk to public safety.

To get a live update on traffic conditions, please visit Live Traffic NSW:

Go to Live Traffic NSW

The Disaster Response Legal Service provides free legal help for disaster affected community members in NSW with legal issues like:

• Insurance claims and disputes
• Housing and rental problems including caravan parks
• Credit, debt, fines and financial hardship
• Eligibility for disaster relief grants and benefits
• Employment - unfair dismissals, entitlements
• Domestic violence
• Other legal problems related to disasters

Anyone affected by a disaster can get free help by contacting the Disaster response Legal Service NSW helpline on 1800 801 529 (9am to 5pm weekdays). 

Or find the DRLS website link under Related Information on this page for  fact sheets and information.

You can also find DRLS at Flood Recovery Centres where they provide face to face help, or you can contact your local Legal Aid Regional office. 

16/7/2024 - The last of the Major Landslip Package (38 landslips across 15 roads), Bunkers Hill Road, is due for completion 10 September 2024. Completion of this challenging reconstruction program will be heralded by all stakeholders. Following three (3) natural disasters in the recent 6 months, the fully reconstructed landslips caused by three (3) natural disasters in 2022, have proven robust when tested.

9/7/2024 - Bunkers Hill Road is due for completion 10 September 2024, the last in the 2022 Major Landslip Package (38 landslips across 15 roads). Completion of this package, a huge and challenging reconstruction program, will be saluted by all contributors.

3/7/2024 - Finishing works on Foremans Road, Woodhill, are being completed this week. This leaves one (1) major landslip on Bunkers Hill Road due for completion 2 September, the last slip of the 2022 Major Landslip Package (38 landslips across 15 roads).

30/5/2024 - Completion of the Major Landslip Package is imminent; reconstruction of 38 major landslips across 15 roads. Final works are in progress on Bunkers Hill Rd, Burrier Rd, Foremans Rd, and Wattamolla Rd.

15/05/2024 - Announcement: Final works on Bunkers Hill Road, Burrier Road, Foremans Road, and Wattamolla Road are in progress. Completion of the Major Landslip Package - reconstruction of 38 major landslips - is imminent.

24/04/2024 - Council has begun repair work following 7 April 2024 (AGRN 1119) severe weather and flooding event, and continues repair works for infrastructure damages incurred during 2022 and 2023 natural disasters. Major landslip works are near completion, anticipated mid-2024. Find Disaster Assistance Advice and Flood Recovery information under Related Documents if you have been impacted by this event.

10/04/2024 - Announcement: The recent natural disaster declaration (AGRN 1119) 7 April 2024 severe weather and flooding has impacted our Shoalhaven communities, causing damages to some roads and property. Recovery work to provide access and continue repair works has started on Bunkers Hill Road, Burrier Road, Kangaroo Valley Road, Wattamolla Road, Foremans Road and Yalwal Road. Search and subscribe to these roads' pages for updates.

03/04/2024 - Announcement: Major Landslip Package Surges Towards Completion. The 2022 Natural Disaster Reconstruction Works and Major Landslip Package are surging towards completion. This package includes the reconstruction of 38 landslips and their related road repairs across 15 roads. For full details select the 2022 Natural Disaster Reconstruction Works tile below.