Golden Plains Shire Council is seeking input from Smythesdale residents to help inform the Smythesdale Flood Study.
Council in partnership with the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA), Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (Wadawurrung) and the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Barwon Region have commissioned a Flood Risk Management Study for the Woady Yaloak River, other substantial tributaries, and overland water flows in the township of Smythesdale.
This study will produce detailed flood mapping for a range of flood scenarios within the Smythesdale township including historic flooding events. This information will be used to inform the Smythesdale Structure Plan which directs future urban development and highlights areas of risk in a flood event. The study will also capture Traditional Owner values and consider cultural heritage as part of any potential flood mitigation options that may be proposed through the study.
Council will be conducting two face-to-face drop-in sessions for Smythesdale residents to enable the community to learn more about the study, but also for the project team to learn about past flooding events in the area. These sessions will take place on Thursday 13 November from 1 to 2.30pm and 5.30 to 7pm at The Well, 19 Heales Street Smythesdale.
Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey encouraged local residents to come along to the drop-in sessions and contribute to this important project.
“Residents are encouraged to bring along photos or evidence of historic flood events from 2011, 2016 and 2022 as your local knowledge is invaluable to ensure the modelling reflects as accurately as possible past flooding in the community,” Cr Sharkey said.
“Representatives from Council’s Strategic Planning and Engineering teams, as well as the expert consultants engaged to undertake the Study, will be available in both sessions so we’d like to see as many local residents there as possible to learn as much as we can.”
Residents are also invited to submit historical flood images online at goldenplains.com.au/consultations, by email to [email protected] or by mail to: Golden Plains Shire Council, PO Box 111, Bannockburn, VIC, 3331, marked ‘Attention: Smythesdale Flood Study’.
The approved findings of the Study will enable Council to complete a Planning Scheme Amendment to incorporate any relevant Flood Overlays, Land Subject to Inundation Overlays and Special Building Overlays within the Golden Plains Planning Scheme. The Study is expected to be presented to Council in 2026.
Council received $140,515 under the second round of the Disaster Ready Funding (DRF) 2024-2025 through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to deliver the Smythesdale Flood Study.
For more information about this project, contact Council’s Strategic Planning Division on 5220 7111 or email [email protected].