Riverbank Rehabilitation Project

We are currently delivering the Riverbank Rehabilitation Project (the Project) on behalf of the NSW and Australian Government in response to the NSW Storm and High Rainfall events of February and March 2021(AGRN 960 and AGRN 954) and February and March 2022 (AGRN 1012).

The project is supporting impacted waterways and rural landholders in two key areas, undertaking targeted riverbank rehabilitation works focussed on the protection of high value rural agricultural, cultural and environmental natural assets and providing direct support to flood impacted landholders through the delivery of the Riverbank Erosion Support process.

This provides tailored technical advice on what landholders can do to improve and manage their riverbanks and provides case management support to then navigate the approval pathways required to implement in stream works. This process advice aims to strengthen the quality of the applications required for waterway approvals reducing delays in the process.

I’ve experienced riverbank erosion from a flood or severe weather event within the Riverbank Rehabilitation Project area, can I get assistance?

Yes, if your riverbank erosion has occurred within one of the Project’s targeted waterways as a result of AGRN 960, 954 or 1012, you can get erosion advice and approvals support through the Project.

The targeted waterways through this Project include the Hawkesbury River, Manning River, Nambucca River, Hastings River, Macleay River, Clarence River, Richmond River, Tweed River, Brunswick River, Hunter River, Bellinger River and their flood impacted tributaries.

What riverbank erosion resources are available through the Riverbank Rehabilitation Project?

The Project, as well as Local Land Services more broadly, are committed to providing advice to landholders and ongoing resources and education that will allow them to make informed decisions when undertaking rehabilitation works, ensuring they are to best practice.

What on-ground works will be undertaken through the Riverbank Rehabilitation Project?

The targeted riverbank rehabilitation on-ground works (stream 1) is taking a targeted approach to on-ground works with a focus on high value natural rural asset protection, with the works to build the resilience of the riverbank for future flood events and not specifically restore riverbanks to their previous state.

The Project has established a scientific impact and prioritisation panel that helped guide the development of the multi-step prioritisation process.

The prioritisation process looked at the natural rural agricultural, cultural and environmental assets that were most at risk during high flow storm events that had the highest recovery potential and alignment with the Project’s objectives.

The Project is working with the Soil Conservation Service to deliver all on-ground works, with landholders not receiving funding or grants to undertake works on their property through this Project.

All works undertaken in this project will:

  • take a reach-based and targeted approach to works
  • be considered best practice in riverbank management
  • focus on the protection of rural, agricultural cultural and environmental asset protection
  • be determined a priority by the methodology and prioritisation tools endorsed by the project’s Scientific Impact and Prioritisation Panel.

We are currently completing the prioritisation process and will publish information here on the project page about our on-ground works sites once they have been identified and contracted.

We encourage you to check back frequently for updates.  We will also be working closely with landholders around the prioritised on-ground works sites to build community resilience and leverage the targeted work sites.

How do I find out more?

You can get in touch with the team by emailing riverrehabproject@lls.nsw.gov.au.

For landholders and community members wanting more information and advice on navigating approvals for riparian and in-stream works, view our riparian and in-stream works community guidelines.

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