Calls to find ways to ease the impacts of flood isolation

For the fifth time in about two months, floodwaters closed the roads into Wee Waa last week.

The town is protected by a levee, and while resilient residents are used to adapting to ‘island life’ and appreciate its better than homes being flooded, Wee Waa being isolated does negatively impact the business, health, education, community, and agricultural sectors.

At this week’s ordinary council meeting, Narrabri Shire councillor and Wee Waa resident John Clements will put forward a motion calling for funding and investigations into ways to improve infrastructure and prevent Wee Waa being isolated during (major) flood events to reduce the devastating flow on effects felt by individuals, organisations, and businesses.

In the upcoming NCS agenda paper, Mr Clements explains rural supplier Agies ‘has seen $296,000 reductions in sales over the last six weeks, this is just one example of business impacts’.

He said school children have had their schooling disrupted, medical appointments cannot be kept and casual workers have had no income.

“The SES has been tireless and effective; bridges would reduce the load on volunteers and the public purse.”

Cr Clements will move a motion stating, “That Narrabri Shire Council seek funding under the NSW Betterment fund or similar State or Commonwealth resilience fund for the following purposes:

(a)  To fully investigate and develop costed plans (not engineering) to extend the Wee Waa Lagoon bridge south past Harris Lane. This being to remove the isolation caused to residents and businesses by the inundation of this section of road;

(b)  To fully investigate whether with a Lagoon Creek bridge extension, an increase in the road height at Boheena Creek would be justified;

(c)  To fully investigate and develop costed plans (not engineering) to raise the road height by bridge or culvert on the Kamilaroi highway east of Wee Waa at Glencoe channel road crossing, Glenarvon floodway;

(d)  That investigations include assessment of the reduction in isolation and financial and other impacts on individual and business due to isolation caused by flood waters;

(e)  That a local reference committee be set up at the appropriate time to utilise local knowledge.

Mr Clements has attached to his motion, a copy of a newspaper article from 1895 that details the problem with the Lagoon Creek Bridge.

“It’s not as if it’s a new problem.”

NSC general manager Robert Williams will attend the Wee Waa and District Chamber of Commerce meeting this Wednesday night at The Imperial Hotel to discuss the ongoing issue with residents.