If you have been impacted by the flooding and storm events of 2024, support is available. Read the latest information on recovery support and flood recovery across the municipality.
Recovery support
The Emergency Recovery Victoria Recovery Hotline is available to assist communities affected by floods and storms in early 2024 (and by the October 2022 Victorian floods).
You will hear a number of options. Press 9 if you need a translator.
The hotline is able to assist with linking to a range of recovery services including mental health support and legal/insurance support. If you were severely impacted you may be eligible to be referred to a Recovery Support Worker.
It is understandable if you are feeling concerned and experiencing a mix of strong emotions.
Free Victorian Government funded mental health and wellbeing support is available to all people in flood impacted communities.
Bendigo Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub
Providing mental health wellbeing support to small businesses and community members in Greater Bendigo
Call 1300 375 330 or 0409 539 267
Bendigo and Echuca Mental Health and Wellbeing Local
Wellbeing support available via telehealth for Greater Bendigo, Loddon and Campaspe.
Bendigo: 03 5497 5600
Echuca: 03 5412 6600
Loddon Children's Health and Wellbeing Hub
Operated by Bendigo Community Health Services, the hub provides free health and wellbeing support for children up to 11 years old, and their families and carers.
Telehealth support options
In addition to locally based supports, broader state-wide supports are available to all people impacted by the recent flooding events, through the following telehealth support options:
ARC Justice provides free legal and housing help to people who are on a low income or experiencing other types of disadvantage. If you are affected by the recent storms and floods and are living in a rental home or public housing and have a problem with your tenancy, ARC Justice can assist.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) is Victoria’s consumer regulator who administers more than 30 legislative schemes in Victoria to ensure a fair, safe and competitive marketplace.
CAV provides information and assistance on your rights and responsibilities across renting, buying and selling property, and building and renovating.
CAV can answer all your questions about renting, from before you sign the lease until after you move out.
For helpful information and advice visit the CAV website or phone 1300 55 81 81
Agriculture Victoria provides support to impacted primary producers through its Agriculture Recovery Team. You can contact the team on 0427 694 185. This number is regularly monitored and provides a call-back service. For animal welfare support, call the Agriculture Victoria Animal Welfare hotline on 136 186.
Tenants Victoria gives free advice to people that rent residential accommodation in Victoria. It also offers a renter advice line and email advice service.
The Tenants Victoria webpage has a lot of helpful information or contact the renter support line on (03) 9416 2577.
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) is the representative body for the general insurance industry of Australia. ICA is unable to offer direct consumer advice or services, but for information on how to make a complaint or raise a concern with your insurer.
See the Department of Health flood factsheets for useful information on:
- Power outages after a flood
- Septic tanks in flood affected areas.
- After a flood Mould and your health
- How to protect yourself from mosquito borne diseases after a flood
- Private water sources in flood affected areas
Flood recovery
Works completed to date
The City has undertaken an extensive program of cleanup, recovery and additional proactive inspection and maintenance works following flood and storm events last summer. This includes $2.8M worth of emergency and immediate reconstruction works.
Priority works
Six key areas have been prioritised to receive upgrade and improvement works after they experienced significant flood and storm damage earlier this year, including:
- Railway Place / Midland Highway, Goornong - drain reshaping and widening and vegetation management, subject to V-Line authorisation
- Domain Village, McIvor Highway, Junortoun - install new box culverts
- Willis Road, Huntly - install new box culverts
- Pasley Street, Huntly - drain reshaping/widening and driveway culvert upgrades
- Gungurru Road, Huntly - pit installation
- Strickland Street / Sullivan Street, Epsom - pipe realignment
These works will take up to six months to complete, subject to contractor and material availability.
Priority pit inspection and drain clearing will also take place in the next three months in the following precincts:
- McIvor Forest Estate, Junortoun
- Dead Horse Gully/Shakespeare Street to Patterson Street, Heathcote
- Gungurru Road, Huntly
- Cameron Court/Aspiring Drive, Huntly
- Peake Court/Strickland Street, Epsom
- Heathcote Redesdale Road/Moylans Road, Redesdale
- Shakespeare Street floodway, Heathcote
Staffing
The City has appointed a dedicated Flood Recovery Works Coordinator and two Technical Officers to take the lead on flood recovery works.
Drainage and culvert improvement
Unfortunately, Federal applications for a drainage and culvert improvement program was not supported this time around. Despite being unsuccessful, the City will still release its share of the funds for these projects to progress works and continue to seek other funding opportunities. The City will invest $2.25M over the next three years, with a particular focus on improving drainage and culvert infrastructure in Huntly, Junortoun and Heathcote. Our focus will be on fixing infrastructure that otherwise sees streets or suburbs cut off for a period of time when we get flood events.
This list is subject to funding and not exhaustive, and several other minor works have also been identified. For information on any unlisted works please email [email protected].
Heathcote:
- Herriot Street Detention Basin – Investigate potential detention basin construction at Herriot Street, Heathcote in proximity to existing dog park
- Watkins Lane Heathcote – Low flow culvert installation within floodway
- McIvor Creek – targeted debris removal and isolated desilting between Barrack Street and Boomerang Place
- Dead Horse Gully (Patterson to Heathcote – North Costerfield Road) – Channel reshaping, pipe and pit upgrades and flushing
- Scullys Lane – kerb, pit and pit installation / upgrades
- Shakespeare Street (McIvor Creek to North of Scullys Lane) – Major trunk drainage scheme
- Shakespeare Street Floodway – floodway, low flow culvert and inlet upgrade
- Unused Road Reserve (Rear of Wright Street off Morris Street) – Drain establishment
- Barrack Street (High Street to McIvor Creek) – New drainage pipe
- Golf Links Lane – Culvert relocation and upgrade
Huntly:
- Goldleaf Wetland - Investigation into potential conversion/modification to provide stormwater detention capacity
- Pasley Street Roadside drainage scheme – upgrade of roadside drainage and culverts to increase storage and conveyance capacity
- Back Creek (Airey to Midland Highway) – removal of obstructions, access establishment and general waterway maintenance
- Gungurru Road – Pit and drain upgrades between Rennie Street and East Road
- Cameron Court– Investigation of potential detention basin within crown land on corner of Tuckers and East Road
- Viola Road Culvert – Investigate capacity upgrade or conversion to low level floodway
- Leans Road at Bendigo Creek – Increasing waterway capacity beneath major culvert and lifting of road pavement
- Midland Highway / Willis Road – Culvert duplication / upgrade beneath Midland Highway downstream of Willis Road.
- Gerber Court – Debris removal and erosion protection on Sandy Creek
- Lakeview Court – Catch drain development into Goldleaf Wetland
- Oakridge Drive (Wolleen Court to Ligar Street) – Surface drain and minor levee investigation
- Buckleys Lane – Drainage management and potential detention facility integration
- Greene Street and Pasley Street Intersection – Pit and pipe upgrade to Back Creek
Strathfieldsaye:
- Morris Place / Woodlea Close – Pit and pipe upgrades
- Ryalls Lane – drain reshaping, pit modifications and potential pipe duplication near Sullivans Road
- Cooper Grove – Pit upgrade / replacement
Epsom / Ascot:
- Strickland Road (near Peake Court) – Pipe renewal and upgrade
- Tobin Crescent, Ironstone Road and Jones Road Detention Basin system – detention basin investigation and construction
- Racecourse Creek (Heinz Street to Bendigo Creek) – Major levee bank construction
- Strickland Road and Sullivan Road (near Howard Street) – Culvert and pipe reconfiguration/realignment
- Back Creek (Howard Street to Ironstone Road) – Obstruction removal
- Bendigo Creek Levee – Major levee renewal project between Howard Street and Leans Road
- Simpsons / Wallenjoe Road – Minor levee and diversion construction
Goornong:
- Railway Place / Midland Highway – Surface drain clearing, re-shaping to railway line culverts
- Pine Grove to Grant Street – Overland flow path reshaping and obstruction removal
Redesdale:
- Moylands Road – Roadside drain and culvert improvements
- Lyell Road (between School Road and Redesdale Road) – Culvert upgrade
- School Road – Culvert upgrade and erosion repairs at School Lane
Junortoun:
- Bennetts Road - Culvert clearing and flood marker reinstatement
- Axe Creek Channel – the future of the channel will be assessed as a part of Coliban Water’s Rural Water Efficiency Project
- Wildflower Drive – Road and blocked culverts are DEECA responsibility – Referred to DEECA for action
- McIvor Highway Crossover @ Wildflower Drive – Culvert is DTP responsibility – Referred to DTP for action
- McIvor Highway table drain – Drain clearing along the McIvor highway between Markovich Lane and St Vincents Road is DTP responsibility. Referred to DTP for action.
- McIvor Highway and Popes Road Intersection – Culvert clearing and drain reformation referred to DTP for action.
- Wilkie Road – Culvert upgrade on splitters creek
- McIvor Highway culvert upgrade (312 McIvor Highway) – Culvert upgrade and floodway on pedestrian/shared path
- Splitters Creek – Potential obstruction removal between Wilkie Road and Bennetts Road.
- Lanark Drive – Surface pit inlet modifications
Other localities including Bendigo/Golden Square/Kangaroo Flat/Eaglehawk:
- Gleeson Street precinct - kerb, pit and pipe improvements, upstream detention investigation (east of railway) and culvert upgrades at Napier Street.
- Ningana Drive, Kennington – Obstruction removal and pit upgrades
- Bendigo Creek (Crusoe Road near Laxdale Court, K/Flat) – Targeted debris and vegetation removal
- Crusoe Reservoir – Catch drain and detention functionality feasibility study
- Kneebone Street, Eaglehawk – Trunk main duplication/upgrade for 1% AEP drainage solution
- Booth Road, Woodvale – Roadside drain and culvert improvements near McKenna Road
Work will commence in early 2025 on a Goornong Flood Study and Flood Mitigation Plans for the Epsom, Huntly, Junortoun and Heathcote areas, with a focus on Bendigo Creek, Back Creek, Racecourse Creek, Splitters Creek and McIvor Creek. We look forward engaging with affected communities to seek their input.
Recovery program
The City is working with several local community groups and Neighbourhood Houses to support community members impacted by flood and storm events across the municipality. Keep up-to-date with the latest information and events on our website or contact your local Neighbourhood House or Community Action Group to get involved.
Emergency preparedness
The City is currently working with emergency services and community organisations on a range of emergency initiatives, including:
- Confirming locations for sandbagging before a rain event
- Ensuring clear processes and protocols are in place to activate emergency relief centres when required
- Facilitating conversations amongst agencies and community organisations about other emergency planning initiatives needed at a local level
Our website has a range of information about how to prepare your property for floods and fires, and the importance of having a plan in the event of an emergency.
For more information and opportunities to be involved in supporting community resilience, visit this page or email:
Planning for an emergency webpage
Community resilience project
Over 40 representatives from community, council, and partner agencies attended a workshop to provide local and specialised insights into community focussed disaster risk assessments in high-risk, high-growth areas. The session, which included flood-affected community members, identified key actions such as enhancing community leadership, improving engagement, and fostering relationships between residents and response agencies. The outcomes will guide community risk assessments and resilience planning for 2025. If you would like more information on this project please email:
If you would like a City drain inspected or to discuss flooding around your property with the City’s engineering team, please email:
For all other general flood recovery enquiries and requests, email [email protected]
Disasters such as floods increase existing gender inequalities and cause unequal health, social and economic outcomes that are more likely to affect women.
Women’s Health Loddon Mallee has undertaken a range of activities in partnership with stakeholders across the Loddon Mallee region in response to the floods experienced in October 2022. In addition, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee has undertaken research with women across the Loddon Mallee region to capture their lived experience of the floods.
This report will provide insights into women’s lived flood experiences, a framework for considering women’s wellbeing and empowerment in the planning, response and recovery stages of floods, and recommendations for action.
If your property is uninhabitable or damaged, the City’s Rates unit can assess if a property is eligible for a rate revaluation.
- Phone the City to discuss your situation and work out what assistance is available, call 1300 002 642
- Contact a free financial counsellor by calling the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007
- Experiencing financial hardship can impact your mental health. If you are worried about your mental wellbeing, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636