Managing levees and waterways in
urban areas outside Melbourne
Revised Draft Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy Information
Sheet
The Victorian Government is seeking public feedback on the Revised Draft Victorian Floodplain
Management Strategy.
The proposed policies, actions and accountabilities set the policy direction for floodplain
management in Victoria. A Draft Strategy was released on 26 June 2014 for a six-week
public comment period. Submissions and feedback at public information sessions identified a
number of opportunities to revise the draft Strategy.
The following changes have been incorporated into the Revised Draft Strategy:
 revised rural levee policy
 updates to the chapter relating to stormwater flooding in Melbourne and regional Victoria
 an acknowledgement of the value of Aboriginal communities.
 adapting to climate change to manage flood risk
 clarification around emergency management roles and responsibilities
 guiding principles to support catchment management authority (CMA) role in land use
planning clarification of responsibilities for maintenance of flood warning gauges
 consideration of the environmental benefits of flooding.
This handout sets out the proposals in the Strategy that relate to Aboriginal cultural values and
floodplain management.
The Strategy aims to better prepare Victoria for severe flooding by improving the evaluation and
communication of flood risks. In this way it aims to enable communities and relevant agencies to
take better-informed actions to manage floods.
The Strategy builds on important lessons from the 2010, 2011 and 2012 floods. It also integrates the
outcomes of the subsequent review into the effectiveness of flood warning and response systems,
and the inquiry into flood mitigation infrastructure.
Benefits of levees
Well-maintained levees in urban areas can deliver significant benefits. This was demonstrated in the
towns of Kerang and Nathalia in the 2010–11 floods. Levees had been constructed there in response
to previous large floods and, importantly, they had been regularly maintained. As a result, both
towns were spared extensive flood damage.
In recognition of their public benefits, construction costs for these levees were shared between the
relevant council, the Victorian and the Australian Governments. The councils took responsibility for
ongoing maintenance.
This approach has been applied successfully again since the 2010-11 floods. For example, the local
Creswick community has built a new levee under similar arrangements. The local council has also
agreed to meet the ongoing management and maintenance costs.
Image deleted: Temporary levee at Nathalia. Source: Goulburn Broken CMA
How to get a copy
Detailed information on managing levees and clearing waterways in rural areas as well as a range of
matters relating to floodplain management in Victoria can be found in the Revised Draft Victorian
Floodplain Management Strategy, available at www.delwp.vic.gov.au/revised-draft-floodplainmanagement-strategy or by calling the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning
customer service centre on 136 186.
List of available information sheets
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Overview of the Revised Draft Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy
Aboriginal cultural values and floodplain management
Land use planning and floodplain management
Insurance and managing flood risks
Environment and floodplain management
Total Flood Warning Systems
Managing levees and waterways in rural areas
Managing levee and waterways in urban areas outside Melbourne
Your chance to have a say
The Victorian Government welcomes feedback on the Revised Draft Victorian Floodplain
Management Strategy. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to
VMFS.Inquiry@delwp.vic.gov.au or sent to:
Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy
PO Box 500
East Melbourne VIC 3002
The closing date for submissions is 8 August 2015.
You need to know:
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The information you provide in your submission, or in any other response, will only be used
by DELWP and the Interdepartmental Stakeholder Reference Group to consider as part of
the development of the final strategy. However, it may be disclosed to other relevant
agencies
as part of the consultation process.
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All submissions will be treated as public documents and will also be published on the
internet for public access.
All addresses, phone numbers and email details will be removed before submissions are
published on the internet. Formal requests for confidentiality will be honoured but freedom
of information access requirements will apply to submissions treated as confidential.
If you wish to access information in your submission once it is lodged with DELWP, contact the
project team at the above address.