The severe weather and floods in February and June 2022 have caused significant damage to Aboriginal-owned social and cultural assets in communities across New South Wales. These assets include parks, playgrounds, walkways and places of cultural heritage, all of which contribute to a community’s sense of belonging and identity. To support affected communities, the Australian and New South Wales Governments are funding projects that will restore and build flood resilient Aboriginal-owned assets.

Funding flood resilient aboriginal-owned assets in New South Wales

The 2022 floods in New South Wales compounded the impacts of 2019-20 bushfires and the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Showcasing that role of social, cultural and recreational infrastructure is more crucial than ever to bring people in aboriginal communities together.

The Australian and New South Wales Governments are investing $46.3 million in 27 projects to support the repair, restore and betterment of Aboriginal-owned community and cultural assets directly damaged by floods in the most impacted Local Government Areas across NSW.

Funding through the Aboriginal-owned Assets Program will enable Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs), Aboriginal Corporations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations to undertake flood recovery works through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Projects building flood resilient Aboriginal-owned assets

Projects include the restoration of Aboriginal-owned assets, such as community centres and service buildings, playgrounds and recreation areas, and the rebuilding of access roads and walkways to areas of cultural significance directly damaged by floods.: 

Three upcoming projects include:

• More than $6.9 million will fund Rekindling the Spirit projects in Lismore Local Government Area (LGA). These projects will support the restoration of damaged facilities, which provide critical social support, health support and counselling services. These projects will deliver new facilities at the existing Lismore site and repair and provide additional infrastructure to an existing facility which was destroyed in the floods, allowing services to return to full capacity. 
• More than $1.7 million to Tweed Byron LALC to restore the flood damaged “Walk on Water Track” in Tweed Shire LGA, providing access to cultural sites where schools and community groups often attend education activities. 
• Almost $1.3 million to Tricketts Arch Aboriginal Corporation will reinstate safe vehicle access to the significant cultural site, Tricketts Arch, in Oberon LGA, which includes a riverbank area, camping sites, a yarning circle and activity areas. Tricketts are committed to protecting the biodiversity of the land as well as its cultural and geodiversity. 

The flood resilient Aboriginal-owned assets will be rebuilt to withstand future natural hazards, as well as improve accessibility and inclusion for community members. 

“By improving the resilience of these assets, we can reduce the hardship experienced by Aboriginal communities during and after a disaster event, as well as decrease the cost of recovery in the future,” said Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt.

“When completed, these restored and improved Aboriginal owned and managed assets will bring people together to fulfil cultural obligations, support self-determination, improve social connections and restore places of importance to the community.”

The Australian and NSW Governments are continuing to help the long-term recovery of disaster-impacted Aboriginal communities and assisting them towards greater flood resilience, while also delivering positive economic and social outcomes.

For more information on building flood resilient Aboriginal-owned assets in New South Wales, including the full list of successful projects, visit: www.nsw.gov.au/aboriginalownedassetsprogram.