Living with floods
Flooding is a natural process caused by heavy rainfall. It has helped to shape the landscape around us, the creeks and swamps, and the floodplain on which much of Newcastle has been developed.
Flooding is generally a rare event but will continue to happen into the future. It is not possible to predict when, where, or how big the next flood will be. We can, however, estimate the likelihood of different sizes of floods.
Download more information about Living with floods in Newcastle (359.8kb)
Probable maximum flood
There is actually no such thing as a '100 year flood'. Each flood is different. On average, larger floods are rarer than smaller floods and the chance of a certain size flood happening in any given year is the same each year, even if a flood occurred the year before.
The largest flood that could occur is called the Probable Maximum Flood. Newcastle has not experienced such a flood in the last two hundred years.
The impact of heavy rain
The impact of heavy rain will act differently in different catchment areas. In large catchments including the Hunter, it takes a long time for widespread rainfall to 'fill' the catchment and come down the river.
In smaller catchments, including most of Newcastle's suburbs, it only takes a short time for rainfall to 'rush' down the catchment and overwhelm drainage systems causing localised flooding.
Potential flood areas in Newcastle
(click on map to download larger pdf document) 82 kb PDF*
The blue areas on the map could flood in the future. Surprisingly many of these areas are in the suburb away from the Hunter River Floodplain.
Flooding issues
There are many complex issues surrounding flooding in Newcastle including:
- Concerns about potential impacts on property values
- Low community awareness
- The effects of past and future development
- No effective warning for flash flooding
- The large numbers of properties that are at risk
- Existing development being in areas that should not have been developed
- What areas should not be developed in the future?
- What are the community's aspirations and priorities?
- Integration with social, environmental, economic and planning issues
Investigations so far…
It is critical that flood management decisions are based on realistic understanding of all possible future flooding in Newcastle.
Computer simulations of future flooding are being developed across the city. These simulations are based on the best available information of rain that can occur, tide and ocean levels, and accurate ground levels. Simulations are checked against records of previous flooding in Newcastle.
What to do when it floods
The State Emergency Service (SES) responds to floods when they happen. The SES manages preparation measures and the coordination of immediate recovery.
The Newcastle SES Local Controller, with the assistance of Newcastle City Council, is responsible for ensuring Newcastle residents are aware of the flood threat in their area, and how to respond.
State Emergency Service Ph: 132500
Flood information certificates
Flood information Certificates show summarised information about flooding that may affect the land in the future. Information that will also assist preparing Development Applications is given where available.
Download a flood information application form from our DA forms page.
The Certificates are prepared using existing flood information as Council is aware from its ongoing investigations, and include an indication of the confidence of the information.
Who to contact
| Flood Warnings | Bureau of Meteorology Ph: 1300 659218 |
| In case of flooding | State Emergency Service Ph: 132 500 |
| Flood Information Certificates |
Customer Enquiry Centre, City Administration Centre 282 King Street, Newcastle Ph: 02 4974 2030 |
| S149 (Planning) | Customer Enquiry Centre, City Administration Centre Certificates 282 King Street, Newcastle Ph: 02 4974 2030 |
| Development and Planning enquires |
Customer Enquiry Centre, City Administration Centre 282 King Street, Newcastle Ph: 02 4974 2030 |
| Strategic Flood Management enquires |
City Strategist, Integrated Flood Risk Management Ph: 02 4974 2000 |
| Ironbark Creek floodgates | Hunter Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority Ph: 4930 1030 |
Dark Creek Flood Study
Council is currently investigating flooding in the Dark Creek area. The Dark Creek Flood study area comprises the areas upstream of Sandgate Road, draining to Dark Creek. This catchment area is roughly bounded by North Lambton to the east, Wallsend to the west and New Lambton Heights to the south.
Moving forward
Newcastle City Council is developing solutions to manage Newcastle's complex flooding problems with substantial grant assistance from the NSW Government.
The Council's Flood Risk Management Committee is developing strategies and action plans to live with the risks in a way that balance environmental, social and economic issues.
The committee includes Council, community and government representatives and it is taking an overall approach that :
- Considers the consequences of all future flooding, from small to large floods
- Develops solutions to flood risk problems that, where feasible, will produce ecologically positive outcomes.
Future action
- Provide a Newcastle Flood Policy and development control based on present incomplete flood information
- Make judgements where investigations have not yet been carried out, and revisiting as more information comes to light
- Increasing awareness
- Providing detailed Flood Information Certificates
- Developing future flood management plans in conjunction with the community.
- Implementation
