Ten community members, representing various clubs, committees and special interest groups, have been appointed to the Kyabram Flood Study Reference Panel. All those who nominated as part of an expression of interest process conducted by council over the past few months, were appointed to the panel.
Council, with the assistance of the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, has been funded under the Natural Disaster Resilience Grants Scheme, to complete the flood study which will determine the impacts of flooding, assess flood risk and recommend mitigation strategies.
The purpose of the reference panel is to assist the project's technical group in its oversight of the study which includes seeking flood-related information, conducting modelling, producing mapping and considering mitigation options.
Campaspe Mayor Councillor Adrian Weston said the reference panel would provide an important link between the technicians undertaking the study, stakeholders and the community.
"The Kyabram Flood Study Reference Panel will be an essential conduit for the input of local intelligence into the study," Cr Weston said.
"Their vast collective knowledge of historical events and impacts, natural and man-made features, and other factors related to flooding under existing conditions, combined with their views on the potential impacts of proposed mitigation options, will be vitally important to the comprehensiveness and veracity of the study."
Members of the Kyabram Flood Study Reference Panel are:
- Mr Cecil Holden and Mr Robert Moyle (Kyabram Drainage Advisory Committee)
- Mr Jeff Parry, Mr Greg McKenzie, Mr Michael Sweeney and Mr Leigh Johnson (Kyabram urban and rural community)
- Mr Peter Shelley (Racecourse and Recreation Reserve Committee)
- Mr Don McKenzie (Kyabram Golf Club)
- Mr Cory Walker (Yorta Yorta Nations)
- Mrs Mary Bowman (Kyabram Deakin Residents Ratepayers and Development Group Inc).
It is expected that as the study progresses, more members of the community may express an interest to join the reference panel. The panel's Terms of Reference allow for the project's technical group to appoint additional members it considers necessary and appropriate.
Current flood information for Kyabram is outdated, based on information from a 1994 study. Flooding has been documented in many parts of the town and most recently in 2011, 2012 and 2017.
