Working Together on Storm Recovery
We understand the impact of the recent flooding, and we know that some of your favourite spaces may not look or function the way they used to. Please know that these areas have been made safe, and we are dedicated to restoring them to their full potential. We're working hard to bring them back better than ever, and we truly appreciate your patience and support as we rebuild.
Following the severe weather earlier this year, Council took immediate steps to make affected areas safe and restore access wherever possible. These initial works are known as "emergent works" and must be completed within 90 days of an event being officially declared.
Council’s annual budget is designed to fund everyday operations and minor repairs. With a small ratepayer base, we simply don’t have the financial capacity to fund the significant cost of disaster recovery without external support.
To deliver proper, long-term, lasting repairs, Council must follow the formal process set by the Queensland and Australian Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). This includes detailed assessments of all damage and formal submissions to access funding.
Our region has been here before — for context, the Reconstructing Cardwell Project following Cyclone Yasi in 2011 wasn’t completed until late 2013. In 2025, we have completed 53% of the $40 million repair program from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper which occurred in December 2023.
Council is doing everything we can to push ahead within the rules of the DRFA process so we can access the funding needed to fix things properly — not just temporarily — and without placing an extra financial burden on our community, who have already been heavily impacted by these events.
We know waiting isn’t easy, but we want to reassure the community that this process is essential to securing the support needed to build back better. Council will continue to provide updates and work hard to ensure our region recovers stronger and more resilient than before.