Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is in the final stages of delivering its extensive 2022 Flood Recovery Program with just five Betterment projects remaining, all scheduled for completion over the next few months.
As the 2022 program enters its final phase, TRC is preparing to launch the 2024 Flood Recovery Program.
Both Flood Recovery programs are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
TRC Infrastructure Services portfolio spokesperson Councillor Carol Taylor said the 2024 Flood Recovery Program was a direct response to the damage caused by the region's declared flood events in January/February 2024 and again in December 2024/January 2025.
"The 2024 Flood Recovery Program will be of particular interest to the community who have just experienced construction and road closure related impacts since September 2022, from the 2022 Flood Recovery Program, which was the largest flood recovery program the Region had seen.
"We're grateful to the community for their patience throughout the 2022 Program. As we now move into the permanent reconstruction phase of the 2024 Flood Recovery Program, we ask for continued understanding as construction works progress.
"The good news is that the delivery period for this program will have a much shorter timeframe with completion expected by the end of this year," Cr Taylor said.
The 2024 program will start with priority permanent reconstruction works in the northern part of the region, delivered by Council's internal Construction and Maintenance teams. This follows funding being approved for 12 Submissions by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, jointly supported through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), which will enable these critical works to proceed.
The approved funding, totalling approximately $18 million, will support repairs across an estimated 1,100 damaged sites, including two key culvert replacements on Reichle Road in Yandilla and Burkes Road in Gowrie Junction.
"By April 2025, Council had completed approximately 600 Emergency repair works across the region, representing an investment of around $650,000," Cr Taylor said.
"These temporary repairs were essential in the immediate aftermath of the two declared flood events in 2024. We are now moving from the damage assessment phase to the construction phase, where Council's internal teams will be undertaking permanent reconstruction works across the region, beginning shortly and continuing until the end of this year, weather permitting."
