Mapping Ballarat’s flood risk

The City of Ballarat is updating the municipality’s flood modelling and mapping to introduce controls for land use and development on flood prone lands.

In 2018 the City of Ballarat began preparation for a Planning Scheme Amendment to introduce Flood Overlays for 11 Waterways within urban Ballarat.  

The City of Ballarat Council Plan 2021 – 2025 identified a need to better understand the effects of flooding on properties within the municipality and introduce appropriate planning controls so that residents are informed and equipped to manage flooding should it occur.  

Planning has been underway, with external experts identifying the flood extents and depths for eleven waterways across Ballarat:  

• Yarrowee River
• Gnarr Creek
• Canadian Creek and tributaries
• Bonshaw Creek
• Redan Creek
• Kensington Creek
• Chase Waterway
• Little Bendigo Creek
• Hit or Miss Gully
• Warrenheip Creek
• Ryans Drain.

This flood mapping will also influence the City of Ballarat’s flood mitigation works in the future.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said this modelling will assist in better understanding of flooding effects in certain areas across the municipality.  

“The flood mapping of these waterways is an enormous task, that will assist planners, developers and landowners to mitigate flood risk and ensure development is undertaken safely in flood prone areas,” he said.  

“I urge the community to view the mapping on our MySay page to familiarise themselves if their property is in a flood risk area.”  

The full mapping will be available for review at the City of Ballarat’s MySay page, until 15 July 2024.

Following consultation a report will be put forward to Ballarat City Council for consideration of a planning scheme amendment process to introduce flood controls for land use and development on flood prone lands.