The Study has been developed by expert consultants, working with MidCoast Council’s Floodplain Management Advisory Committee.

The Committee includes representatives from the community and farming industry, Council’s planners and engineers, NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, Biodiversity, Conservation and Science division (BCS); and NSW emergency services and first responders.

The Bulahdelah community provided valuable input into the Study in 2021 via a community survey sent to all property owners.

Bulahdelah residents were invited to provide feedback on the Draft Bulahdelah Flood Study in September 2023.

A total of seven formal submissions were received during the public exhibition period. Council reviewed all submissions in detail and provided a written response to each submission.

The submissions reflected a strong level of community interest and concern regarding flooding in Bulahdelah and surrounding areas.

No submissions raised issues that required major changes to the report. Matters raised were either already addressed within the report, related to areas outside the project scope, or concerned statutory processes and constraints that sit beyond the scope of the FRMSP.

Key themes raised in submissions included:

• flood behaviour
• drainage and stormwater management
• access during flood events
• updated flood markers and signage of roadways that are subject to flooding,
• more restrictive controls on development in flood-prone areas
• infrastructure influences and climate change.

Responses further outlined the role and limitations of stormwater and land-use planning controls, the scope of the study and how the FRMSP focuses on practical, risk-based flood management measures consistent with current state and national guidance.