Friday 30 October 2015


Are you impacted by the Emerald Flood Levee Banks?

Multiple flood events have caused considerable trouble and heartache for Emerald businesses and residents.  To better protect the city and minimise flood impacts, Central Highlands Regional Council have developed the Emerald Flood Protection Scheme ("EFPS").  The EFPS consists of several separate levee banks and was considered to be the most economic option for flood mitigation.

As with any development though, Council will need land for the levees to be constructed on and home owners may face the uncertainty of if the levee will go ahead and if their property will be ones of those Council needs.  In an already volatile property market, this has already caused effects on market value and saleability of homes in the area and left a few home owners in an uncertain position.  This uncertainty for home owners has led to Council releasing the Emerald Flood Protection Scheme Acquisition Policy.  This policy allows for a team of Council representatives to negotiate directly with home owners on a one-on-one basis for a voluntary option to acquire their property in the future. 

Any acquisition option negotiated will not proceed unless, and until, the final decision to proceed with the levies has been made.   The Acquisition Policy negotiations will be open to landowners for a period from 31 August, 2015, to 30 November, 2015 and Council has agreed to meet any reasonable legal and valuation costs incurred by the property owner negotiating an acquisition option with Council.

Directly affected landowners are not required to participate in these Acquisition Policy negotiations and if the levee proposal goes ahead, resumption action may be taken by Council for those properties not already covered by a voluntary acquisition option.