Construction of the new levee came in the wake of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Research report, which found Launceston's flood levee system performed above expectations during the June 2016 floods. About 50 properties in Newstead were flooded after record rainfall across key river catchments
City of Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said he was pleased work on the new levee was starting. "This is a project that is going to bring new confidence to residents of low lying parts of Newstead, some of whom were severely impacted in last year's floods. It's another asset to the city's flood protection system and one I hope rarely needs to be tested."
Launceston Flood Authority Chairman Alan Birchmore said the new levee would be built to withstand the same flood levels seen in the North Esk River in June 2016. "We're very grateful for the Federal Government funding that we've received for this important project," Mr. Birchmore said. "Once complete, the new levee will provide protection for the same level of flooding we saw in June 2016. The flows we saw in the North Esk River last year were significantly higher than any previously recorded flood in the river in decades, which is why this levee is being built to such a high standard.”
SCOPE
- Construction of a 700m-long predominantly earth flood levee.
- Construction of a concrete levee section between Hart Street and the Hobblers Bridge Netball Centre.
- Installation of a Bauer flood gate across Hart Street.
- The Federal Government provided $250K towards the $1M project, which was completed early 2018.