Flood funds for Bellingen Shire Council to replace Lavenders Bridge

More than $350,000 will be spent on investigating alternatives for a Mid-North Coast town regularly cut in two when its bridge goes under water.

More than $350,000 will be spent on investigating alternatives for a Mid-North Coast town regularly cut in two when its bridge goes under water during times of flood.

The Lavenders Bridge connects Bellingen’s southside - home to the bulk of the town’s shops and services - to the northside. Locals have become accustomed to it going under.

The owners of a local store have even gone as far to install and operate their own flood camera to keep residents up to date.

Now the federal government has allocated $365,000 for Bellingen Shire Council to investigate and design a replacement for the bridge.

It’s part of $4.6 million to be allocated across NSW to fund flood mitigation projects following the catastrophic floods of 2022, which resulted in the loss of nine lives and displacement of tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Scenes from swollen Bellinger River in January 2011 which flooded over the Lavenders Bridge, isolating North and South Bellingen. Photo Frank Redward

The inevitable clean up at the bridge after the rain. Picture: Trevor Veale

This is the second round of the NSW Flood Recovery and Resilience Grant Program which will see 10 local councils stretching from the Tweed Shire Council in northern NSW to Shellharbour City Council on the south coast receive funds to reduce the impacts and losses from floods.

The Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council will receive $2,250,000 to construct an overflow channel on Turallo Creek in Bungendore.

Lavenders Bridge at Bellingen under water in December 2020. Picture: Janine Watson.

On Sydney’s northern beaches the local council will receive $1,125,000 to continue clearance of Narrabeen Lagoon entrance, which involves moving 30,000 cubic metres of sand from the lagoon entrance to Collaroy-Narrabeen Beach.

This work will reduce flood risks for over 2,000 properties, as well as public assets and essential infrastructure. On average the entrance needs to be cleared every three to five years.

The NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said recovery from the devastating 2022 floods is ongoing.

“Mitigation is critical, and investing in projects that help reduce the impacts of floods is an incredibly worthwhile use of funding,” he said.

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