Focus on Marsden for Newell Highway flood mitigation program

Valuable flood data collected during last year’s seven-week closure of the Newell Highway will help guide a flood-mitigation program, alongside feedback from upcoming community consultation, aimed at reducing the length of future closures.

The Australian and New South Wales governments have committed to flood mitigation works on the highway, which runs through the flood plain between West Wyalong and Forbes.

Proposed treatments include installing box culverts (small bridges) to allow water to pass freely under the highway, raising the road level and laying a more robust pavement that would remain open to traffic for longer during flood events.

Initial repairs to flood damage from late 2022 on the Newell Highway between West Wyalong and Forbes are now complete.

Work delivering overtaking lanes to improve safety on this section of the highway is continuing.

Transport for NSW will hold both face-to-face and online consultation sessions next month.

Face-to-face consultation sessions:

Monday 17 July: 4.30pm–6.30pm, West Wyalong Services & Citizens Club (Auditorium), 100 Monash Street, West Wyalong.
Tuesday 18 July: 4.30pm–6.30pm, Club Forbes (Gallipoli Function Room), 41-43 Templar Street, Forbes.

Online consultation session: Thursday 20 July, 6.30pm–8pm.

For more information on the Newell Highway Flood Mitigation – West Wyalong to Forbes project, visit nswroads.work/ww2f.

Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“Planners have analysed data from the 2022 flood to prioritise the 11-kilometre section of highway at Marsden that floods first and remains under water the longest.

“Local residents and freight operators will not be surprised to learn the flood modelling shows the Newell Highway is particularly susceptible to flooding by the Lake Cowal/Bland Creek catchment at Marsden.

“The studies show that the Marsden area flooded first, had the deepest water across the road and was where the highway stayed closed the longest.

“By making work around Marsden the priority for flood mitigation investment, we can ensure we significantly reduce the length of time the Newell Highway is closed during and after any future flood events.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

“Understanding the experiences of road users impacted by the flooding event is an important exercise to do on top of the hydrological work.

“Transport for NSW is seeking feedback from community and stakeholders on the proposed flood mitigation as part of the planning process.

“We are launching an online engagement portal and interactive map to allow people to give us feedback on the project. The community can also help support our flood modelling and studies by sharing their flood records or photographs.

“We will be reaching out to landholders in the study area, and holding face-to-face and online consultation sessions where people can drop in to talk to the project team. The feedback, information and insights people share will be used to help inform the project design.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Senator for New South Wales Deborah O’Neill:

“We recognise that flood mitigation treatments can alter the local environment and all potential impacts of the project will be considered through the environmental assessment process.

“By reducing the length of time the highway is closed during future flood events, we will be helping to keep our communities connected, we will be supporting economic activity in Forbes, West Wyalong and surrounding districts, and we will be helping keep open one of the key routes for freight movements across regional NSW.”