Council & Business
14 August, 2026
Council face flood cleanup
Central Goldfields Shire Council are assessing flood affected assets which may take weeks or month to fix.
Roads damaged by flash flooding earlier this week may take weeks or months to repair, according to Central Goldfields Shire Council.
Monday’s significant rainfall has seen many sealed and unsealed roads across the shire sustain “significant damage” due to flash flooding.
The region was under a flood warning on August 10 with Maryborough recording 39.2 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.
Central Goldfields Shire Council said areas where Avoca River, Bet Bet Creek, Deep Creek and McCallums Creek flowed across roads and bridges were worst affected.
Initially, 54 sealed and unsealed roads were assessed and determined to require closure.
Council said this was done in accordance with their obligations under the Road Management Act and to ensure the safety of the community.
On Wednesday, August 12, operational crews undertook “extensive” recovery activities across the shire, including:
Road condition assessments and inspections
Capturing audit and damage data to support recovery planning and funding submissions
Assessing flood impacts to roads, bridges, and associated infrastructure
AdvertisementCleaning affected roads and removing debris where safe to do so
Preparing road sections for reopening
Installing, adjusting, and removing traffic management and road closure signage as conditions improved
Council reopened 36 roads by Thursday morning, August 13, improving community access and reducing disruption.
The remaining roads will continue to be monitored and reassessed, according to council, to determine when it’s safe for them to be reopened.
Council also said they would undertake a more detailed inspection program for bridges, culverts and other structures impacted by floodwater.
They said these inspections will involve specialist engineering assessments to determine any structural damage and identify repair requirements to ensure the community’s safety before they’re returned to normal use.
Operational staff are expected to continue monitoring conditions and responding to emerging issues as water levels recede and access to affected areas improves.
Council said the recovery works may be eligible for funding assistance from state and federal governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) if a declaration is made.