Four years on from Australia's worst natural disaster in history, Lismore City Council has rebuilt community buildings to withstand future weather events, while at the same time has changed how the State and Federal governments will respond to other natural disasters across the state.
Mayor Steve Krieg said 133 projects had been completed, including the full restoration of the Lismore Memorial Baths, City Library and Regional Gallery, with another 142 in active delivery.
"I know four years is a long time and we still have about another four years to go, but cast your mind back to the days immediately after 28 February 2022 and sight of the destruction as waters receded, you realise the enormous effort that has been put into our recovery by Council, the State and Federal governments, local business and residents," he said.
"What has slowed our recovery was that we were the first in NSW to be hit by a disaster of such magnitude. Unlike in Queensland, there was no template, no road map - we had to figure it out as we went.
"And while the bureaucrats were slow to respond, Lismore City Council staff used their local knowledge, expertise and professionalism to help change how governments handle ours and other disasters into the future.
While Lismore's restoration has been a collaborative effort across all levels of government, Council has led the charge, establishing a dedicated, award-winning team which has set industry leading standards in program management and is delivering the largest capital program of any local council across the state.
"We are a flood-prone town. That reality requires us to operate differently. We have strengthened our procurement, governance and oversight systems, so disaster response becomes institutional capability, not a temporary reaction," Mayor Krieg said.
"Many communities across NSW face similar risks and the work we are doing will set a standard nationally and create a blueprint for others
"What we choose to build here, and the mechanisms and standards we apply, will shape how the state and potentially the nation manages flood-exposed infrastructure for decades,"
Since 2023, Lismore City Council has governed a $1 billion, state and federally funded flood restoration portfolio — the largest capital program of any local council in NSW — spanning 338 projects across water, roads and bridges, buildings, waste and resilience infrastructure.
At this anniversary milestone:
133 flood restoration projects are complete
142 projects are currently in active delivery
135 contracts have been executed
$145 million in works are underway
More than $200 million has flowed directly into local and regional businesses, supporting jobs and economic recovery across the Northern Rivers
Major achievements include:
Early completion of the new landfill
Full restoration of key community assets with resilient upgrades, including Lismore City Library, Lismore Memorial Baths, Lismore Municipal Building and Lismore Regional Gallery
Completion of 82 road restoration projects across the LGA
Award of the $119 million Lismore Reconstruction Program contract on time and within budget
Construction of 10 new flood-resilient amenities blocks
Major landslip stabilisation works on Nimbin Road and Woodlawn Road
Rollout of a new fibre-optic network for wastewater pump stations
Urban drainage improvements
Nimbin Watermain renewal
Rather than treating recovery as a temporary surge in activity, Council made a deliberate decision to lift its institutional capability while rebuilding physical assets.
Strengthened procurement, contract management, risk oversight and reporting systems have now been embedded into Council's permanent operating model — ensuring recovery funding is delivered with discipline, transparency and long-term readiness.
Executive Director Charlotte Foy said the program has permanently lifted Council's capital delivery capability.
"The team recognised early that managing a $1 billion recovery portfolio required a different level of project management maturity," she said.
"Our strengthened procurement, reporting and assurance systems are now embedded in how we operate, not just how we recover.
"That gives our community confidence that recovery funding is being delivered with discipline, transparency and long-term readiness.
Four years on, Lismore is not simply rebuilding. It is delivering resilience through institutional transformation.
Lismore is resilient, and Lismore is ready.
