Tamworth Regional Council will undertake a staged program of maintenance and repair works to stormwater outlets within the Peel River CBD levee after investigations identified damage to a number of culverts between Bligh and Murray Streets.
"Council maintains a lot of critical assets for the community and following an incomplete flood gate closure in 2025 we undertook a more sophisticated inspection of our critical stormwater infrastructure under the CBD levee. That inspection and subsequent investigations have confirmed that there are essential works that need to take place," said Tamworth Regional Council Manager Transport Operations Murray Russell.
Investigations found that while some outlets can be restored through relining and maintenance repairs, others have deteriorated to a point where reconstruction will be required.
Planning works are already underway for the relining, and Council has developed an interim operational plan to provide an additional layer of protection for the CBD levee system should a major flood event occur before the permanent works are completed. This contingency planning, together with ongoing inspections and maintenance, will help ensure the continued operation of Council's emergency response framework.
"The safety of our community is Council's highest priority, and these inspections have enabled us to identify issues that were not known through our previous visual inspection methods," Mr Russell said.
"While the findings mean significant work will be required, it's important for residents and businesses to know that we have identified these issues and have plans in place to address them."
The Peel River CBD levee is a critical piece of flood mitigation infrastructure. The original levee was constructed in the 1930s, with many of the affected stormwater outlets dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. The levee was raised in 1996, increasing its height over much of the original stormwater infrastructure.
The remediation and reconstruction works are proposed to take place in stages.
The first stage will involve relining and maintenance repairs to stormwater outlets that remain structurally suitable for remediation. Outlets requiring more significant repairs will progress through detailed design before proceeding to a tender for Construction in 2027.
Council will continue to monitor and maintain the stormwater outlets as part of its asset management obligations. Should future inspections identify additional outlets requiring replacement, those works will be programmed and funded through Council's asset renewal fund.
