Where is flood fix?
Lara residents’ 40-year fight for council help
RESIDENTS in Geelong’s north have hit out at the council’s “galling” lack of action to solve flooding and drainage issues – despite claiming to have first appealed for help 40 years ago.
And a $1.3m project to improve drainage in the lowlying Kyema Drive area won’t be delivered for years to come, despite being listed in the city’s 2022-23 Budget.
Kyema Drive resident Anthony Hill this week said his street and many nearby were repeatedly flooded during major rains, and had seen little to no solutions put forward by successive councils.
“A small group of residents have been trying to get action from council since 1982,” Mr Hill said. “Yes, almost 40 years of pleading for some form of flood-control system to be incorporated and nothing has happened – only continuous hearings, promises and schedules that are continuously moved back.”
“I have even, in desperation, created an automatic pumping system that will hopefully evacuate flood waters to the street before they enter my home for the third time running.
“It’s been 39 years of frustration and upset, we can’t even relax on a holiday break not knowing what’s happening back home.”
Mr Hill said residents were happy to see $1.3m committed in the City of Greater Geelong’s latest proposed budget for Kyema Drive drainage works, but were disappointed the bulk of the money for the project wouldn’t be delivered until 2025-26.
“After waiting for almost 40 years for something to happen and seeing dog parks, sporting fields, kerb and channel replacements et cetera taking precedence over our pleas for help is galling,” he said.
The city’s $1.3m Kyema Drive drainage works – prompted by its most recent Lara flood study – will include a pair of new pumps and rising mains pressurised pipeline systems to reduce flooding. The study prompted the city to further bolster its flood-control strategy, including the public provision of its most up-to-date flood maps, updating its planning scheme to ensure new buildings are built to best standards and installing flood warning signs at new locations identified as being “at risk”.
Geelong’s city services director, Guy Wilson-Browne, on Tuesday acknowledged flooding in Lara was “a longstanding issue that continues to cause concern and frustration”.
“It is a complex issue that we are actively looking to solve,” Mr Wilson-Browne said. “It’s important that any drainage improvements put in place have maximum benefit. At the moment, a set of initial designs are being independently reviewed by specialist stormwater engineers.
“The council will consider all feedback before finalising the budget at the end of June.”