As the October 2022 floodwater receded, the double-edged sword of relief came with distress.
The Greater Shepparton community needed to rebuild, repair and restart.
On November 25, 2022, Greater Shepparton City Council transitioned from response to recovery.
To this day, many residents remain in temporary accommodation sourced either through private means or with the assistance of Emergency Recovery Victoria.
The Victorian Government’s Shepparton and Mooroopna Housing Taskforce is developing options for housing for displaced residents, particularly for people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.
Initiatives under way include:
- The Homes @ Home pilot (involving placing caravans on properties).
- Temporary housing in the Vara-Ville and Shepparton Holiday Village caravan parks.
- The reinstatement of Aspen Lodge Caravan Park.
Along with housing, the damage to the town’s infrastructure was astonishing.
To fix the flood-impacted sealed and unsealed roads, council said it had completed a survey, and works were ongoing.
“Remediation of unsealed roads is complete, and council is progressively working through its program of works for flood-impacted sealed roads,” council acting director of community Karen Liversidge said.
Council said it had also investigated and designed an upgraded drainage system in Lenne St, a neighbourhood highly impacted by the floods.
“Priorities for upgrading drainage, penstocks and pump infrastructure are being identified to lessen the impact of flash flooding and, wherever possible, riverine flooding,” Ms Liversidge said.
It’s been a harrowing 12-month aftermath for many Greater Shepparton community members, and, unfortunately, a changing climate is predicted to bring more frequent extreme weather events.
To minimise the impacts of such events, council said it was working towards “new thinking and preparedness” for communities and infrastructure to reduce the severity of damage.
“Areas of focus include the need to build a second (flood-resilient) river crossing, enact a buyback scheme for our most vulnerable properties and implement a statewide flood planning approach,” Ms Liversidge said.
The one positive?
In the face of adversity, the Greater Shepparton community spirit transcends.
The work of community groups has been a pivotal source of healing during the recovery stage, and efforts are ongoing.
In the wake of the first anniversary of the 2022 floods, council’s Resilience in Recovery team has announced a number of empowering events to foster resilience and hope in those affected by the natural disaster.
One such effort includes supporting the Shepparton Festival for ‘An Item of Connection’, an initiative to provide a safe communal space for community members to share their stories and participate in meaningful conversations 12 months after the Greater Shepparton floods.
The pilot launched on Wednesday, October 11, and event organisers said all were encouraged to get involved.
For more information, visit the Resilience in Recovery Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/3fr5dchz