Flood planning in Carisbrook

image of Tullaroop Creek, Carisbrook

Whilst we can’t prevent floods, we can as a community learn how to better live with them and take actions to limit their severity where possible.

As a Council, flood mitigation in Carisbrook continues to be a priority, with the development of the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan now underway.



What is Council doing?

Council is updating the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan.

The current plan was developed in 2013 and is now out of date. The new plan will use data from the 2011 and 2022 flood events and will consider climate change considerations, mitigation modelling, flood risk and emergency management.

What is the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan?

A flood management plan identifies ways to prepare, respond, and recover, making the community safer and more ready for future floods.

It also provides detailed information to better understand what the flood risks are for the full range of flood events.

For more detailed information please see the "Further Information" section at the bottom of this page.

Who is involved?

A Flood Study Advisory Reference Group was appointed by Council in early 2025 following an open public expression of interest process.

The Flood Study Advisory Reference Group includes three community members, Tullaroop Ward Councillor Anna de Villiers, relevant Council officers, State Government agency representatives, emergency services and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

Who is undertaking the study?

Qualified engineering and environmental consulting firm – Water Technology – were appointed to undertake the study following a public tender process. You can read more about their skills and experience at www.watertech.com.au

How long will it take?

The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.

Who is funding the Plan?

In 2024, the North Central Catchment Authority secured $300,000 through the Victorian Government’s Flood Study Reclamation funding program for Council to deliver and review the Plan which was last developed in 2013.

How can I get involved?

Opportunities to get involved are detailed in the community engagement process timeline on the right hand panel of this page. Community session dates will be available on this page once confirmed.

If you are unable to attend any of the upcoming community information sessions, input is welcome via assets@cgoldshire.vic.gov.au

A visual representation of the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan development journey is provided below.

We are currently up to the third step "model development and calibration".

Once complete, what will the Plan do?

The plan will provide more detailed flood modelling to show what could happen in different types of weather events. This means we can take the steps that are needed to make Carisbrook better prepared for future floods.

Whilst we can’t prevent floods, we can as a community learn how to better live with them and take actions to limit their severity where possible.

As a Council, flood mitigation in Carisbrook continues to be a priority, with the development of the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan now underway.



What is Council doing?

Council is updating the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan.

The current plan was developed in 2013 and is now out of date. The new plan will use data from the 2011 and 2022 flood events and will consider climate change considerations, mitigation modelling, flood risk and emergency management.

What is the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan?

A flood management plan identifies ways to prepare, respond, and recover, making the community safer and more ready for future floods.

It also provides detailed information to better understand what the flood risks are for the full range of flood events.

For more detailed information please see the "Further Information" section at the bottom of this page.

Who is involved?

A Flood Study Advisory Reference Group was appointed by Council in early 2025 following an open public expression of interest process.

The Flood Study Advisory Reference Group includes three community members, Tullaroop Ward Councillor Anna de Villiers, relevant Council officers, State Government agency representatives, emergency services and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

Who is undertaking the study?

Qualified engineering and environmental consulting firm – Water Technology – were appointed to undertake the study following a public tender process. You can read more about their skills and experience at www.watertech.com.au

How long will it take?

The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.

Who is funding the Plan?

In 2024, the North Central Catchment Authority secured $300,000 through the Victorian Government’s Flood Study Reclamation funding program for Council to deliver and review the Plan which was last developed in 2013.

How can I get involved?

Opportunities to get involved are detailed in the community engagement process timeline on the right hand panel of this page. Community session dates will be available on this page once confirmed.

If you are unable to attend any of the upcoming community information sessions, input is welcome via assets@cgoldshire.vic.gov.au

A visual representation of the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan development journey is provided below.

We are currently up to the third step "model development and calibration".

Once complete, what will the Plan do?

The plan will provide more detailed flood modelling to show what could happen in different types of weather events. This means we can take the steps that are needed to make Carisbrook better prepared for future floods.

  • What is the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan?

    We have received funding from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) to deliver a review and update of the Carisbrook Flood Management Plan (2013). This is in response to:

    • Update to the Climate Change considerations in the Australian Rainfall and Runoff Guidelines released in August 2024.
    • Recommendation 9 of the Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee Inquiry of the 2022 flood event in Victoria which states “That Melbourne Water and other floodplain authorities review flood models every five years and update the models at least every 10 years and after the occurrence of a major flood”
    • Carisbrook Levee Review Report – Review of Floodplain Management since 2013 which was an independent review undertaken by the NSW Public Works Department finished in August 2024.

    The project will involve modelling and analysis to define existing flood behaviour in the study area and the identification and evaluation of measures to mitigate and manage flood risk in the study area - including recommendations for flood planning overlays, reviewing the performance of existing works, investigating potential mitigation works, updating the flood warning systems and emergency management plans.

    The study area is to be confirmed by the appointed contractor and will generally include:

    • Tullaroop Creek from Tullaroop Reservoir through to Baringhup-Havelock Road;
    • McCallum Creek from Rodborough Road through to the confluence with Tullaroop Creek;
    • The overland flow catchments towards Maryborough
    • Rain on grid modelling of the township area.

    This project also presents an opportunity to update the original modelling by calibrating to the October 2022 flood event. This flood event occurred after significant vegetation clearance works were undertaken within both McCallum and Tullaroop Creeks. This modelling will help to inform whether the vegetation clearance that has occurred achieves the intended reduction in flood risk.

    It is intended that the modelling will be upgraded to utilising the improved modelling practices introduced by Australian Rainfall and Runoff 2019 and recent advances in flood modelling software and incorporating the latest guidance climate change considerations.

    Recent flood events have highlighted the impact that climate change is already having on the severity and frequency of flood events. The current Carisbrook Flood Management Plan only modelled events up to the 0.5% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) flood event.

    There is now an urgent need to better understand the flood risk for Carisbrook for the full range of flood events up to the Probable Maximum Flood. This will include updating of flood mapping, understanding the level of protection afforded by existing mitigation options and investigation of additional mitigation options.

    This includes previously considered mitigation options and the recommendations of the Independent Carisbrook Levee Review Project.

    The study includes modelling of urban stormwater runoff within the Carisbrook township on the western side of Tullaroop Creek. Due to the relatively flat topography of the landscape, this modelling is essential to understand the impact of any existing or future mitigation works on stormwater runoff.

  • Community Meeting #1 - SUMMARY

    The first community session was held on the 11 August 2025 between 2 and 6pm as a drop-in session.

    Many members of the Carisbrook community attended this session along with Council officers, executives, community panel members and Councillors along with presence from CFA, SES, CMA and Water Tech.

    Community Meeting Summary – Flooding Discussions

    1. Historical Flood Observations & Photos

    • Community members shared photographic records from past flood events (2011, 2016, 2022).

    • Observations included water pooling on one side of Bucknall Street for several days after creek levels dropped, and floodwaters flowing over the highway and back toward the creek in 2011.

    • In 2022, water entered some properties from the creek side, with flooding just over door sills in some cases.

    2. Flood Sources & Creek Conditions

    • Discussion regarding the different sources of flooding. Some residents observed they are impacted by flooding from the western catchments and others observed they were impacted by McCallum Creek.

    • There were concerns about sediment build-up and reed growth in the creek, balanced with appreciation for the natural values of the waterway.

    3. Vegetation Management

    • Several participants supported limited vegetation clearance in the creek section downstream of the railway to just beyond the bluestone area, while still valuing the natural environment.

    • One-off removal of non-native species has been undertaken in the past and could be an option for the future within current approval and funding pathways, but long-term maintenance remains challenging.

    • Residents noted that historically the creek was dredged of sediment by Council.

    4. Localised Impacts

    • Residents noted that around four houses on Bucknall Street were inundated from the creek to above floor level in 2022, and others impacted also along the Pyrenees Highway from western catchment runoff.

    • One resident observed local catchments were notably wetter in 2022 compared to 2011, with more water lying around after rain.

    • One resident noted that the old roadhouse on the Pyrenees Highway was always one of the first affected by local water accumulating.

    5. Flood Level Measurements

    • A community-installed gauge board on a tree upstream of town has recorded significant flood peaks across multiple years, showing varying relationships between flows in the creek and the level at this gauge board. It was suggested that vegetation growth across floodplain may have influenced 2022 water levels at this location.

    6. Modelling and Underlying Data Concerns

    • Questions were raised about previous flood mapping not matching the 2022 event on the western catchment upstream of the Pyrenees Highway. It was discussed that the 2022 event has not yet been modelled, and given the levee construction was incomplete at the time, previous models are not comparable. It was noted that the 2022 event will be modelled in this project, and we will present the model results back to community for feedback.

    • New survey of the levee has been captured, new LiDAR (laser survey) of the catchment has also been captured. These new datasets will be reviewed and used in new modelling for this project.

    7. Flood Pathways

    • Some residents along the creek spoke about historical knowledge of flooding, suggesting that in big events flooding would come from the west, not directly from the creek. This aligns with the modelled flood behaviour.

    8. Community Education

    • A suggestion was made to produce a clear, visual explainer (e.g., video) to help the community understand the various flooding mechanisms affecting the town.

    If you weren't able to attend the community session and have input you'd like to share please email assets@cgoldshire.vic.gov.au 

  • Project governance: what’s the difference between the Flood Study Advisory Reference Group and the Flood Prevention Association?

    The purpose of the Flood Study Advisory Reference Group is to provide guidance, local knowledge and a connection to community for the Central Goldfields Shire Council in the development and implementation of the updated Carisbrook Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This group has been appointed by Council.

    The Carisbrook Flood Prevention Association is a community-led committee rather than a committee appointed by Council. The Flood Prevention Association is prepared to work with the community, council, the new committee of Council and authorities to have the Fred Spain recommendations completed.

  • How is this project different from Fred Spain levee report?

    The Fred Spain Levee Review report was an independent report to review the Levee modelling, design and construction.

    The purpose of the updated Carisbrook Flood Management Plan (CFMP) is to provide an update of the initial CFMP which was prepared in 2013.

    Flood management plans in Victoria must be updated regularly to reflect changing flood risks, new scientific data, climate change impacts, community needs and to improve resilience and emergency preparedness.

    The CFMP will be undertaking the additional modelling and technical investigations which were discussed in the Fred Spain report.

  • What is the difference between flood management plan and emergency management plan?

    A flood management plan is a strategy aimed at understanding, reducing and mitigating flood risk over the long term. It integrates structural measures (eg levees), land-use planning, environmental management and community risk reduction techniques to minimise flood impacts before an event occurs.

    An emergency management plan provides an adaptable framework for managing flood events as they occur. It focuses on the preparedness, response and recovery phases of flood risk.

Page last updated: 28 Aug 2025, 01:29 PM