Batemans Bay Urban Creeks Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan

Project: Develop a plan to manage flood risk in the Batemans Bay area

Timeframe: mid 2024 to late 2025

Status: In progress

Cost and funding: $150,000 ( $100,000 from a NSW Government Floodplain Management grant)

Page last updated: March 2025

Project details

We are working to:

  • undertake a floodplain risk management study and plan for Batemans Bay
  • identify measures to reduce our susceptibility to flooding.

Benefits to the community:

  • increase the safety of the community
  • improve resilience to flooding and other climate change related impacts in the Batemans Bay area
  • mitigation measures for housing and businesses in North Batemans Bay, the CBD and part of South Batemans Bay
  • minimise the losses (lives, financial, property) to our community from flooding
  • Inform master planning and development controls.

Background and purpose

The Batemans Bay Urban Creeks Flood Study was adopted in 2021 and identifies flood risk in the Batemans Bay area around seven urban catchments.

The NSW Flood Risk Management Manual outlines the process to manage flood risk in NSW. The first step in the process is to collect data to complete a flood study. A flood study identifies flood behaviour such as velocity and depth. Council adopted the Batemans Bay Urban Creeks Flood Study in 2021:

The next step is to carry out a flood risk management study and plan. This document identifies through community and stakeholder (ie, SES) engagement, the preferred options and actions to manage and reduce the risks of flooding.

The Batemans Bay Urban Creeks Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan aims to ensure that flood-liable land is managed with regard to social, economic and ecological costs and benefits, as well as community safety, health and welfare requirements. It aims to minimise the losses to our community from flooding. These losses can include financial and property as well as loss of lives.

Project updates

You can sign up to receive email updates throughout the project:

March 2025

  • Rhelm are preparing an overland flow model for Surfside. This will help us to:
    • better understand overland flooding
    • design future coastal protection works in the area.

October 2024

  • Rhelm completed a new catchment flood model for McLeods Creek to help us better understand flooding in the CBD area.
  • Rhelm prepared an updated detailed assessment of options for managing and mitigating flood risk in Batemans Bay; Rhelm investigated some unique drainage and catchment challenges (and solutions) in North Batemans Bay following community feedback.

September 2024

  • Council held a community drop-in session at the Bay Pavilions on 9 September 2024. Batemans Bay residents and business owners provided their feedback about the preliminary options Council prepared for managing and mitigating flood risk in Batemans Bay. The feedback we received from the survey held in August also offered some insight into flooding in the northern part of the catchment, which Council has started investigating.

August 2024

  • Council asked community members to share their thoughts and concerns about flooding in the Batemans Bay area. The survey closed on 16 September 2024. The community's responses will help inform our risk management plan.

More information

For more information, please contact Council's Coast and Flood Planner Cameron Whiting: