Water Think Tank: The Rising Maribyrnong-A Community Perspective on the October 2022 Maribyrnong Floods

On 14 October 2022, the Maribyrnong River floods displaced over 1,500 residents, affected 600 homes, and destroyed 80. Up until recently, nearly half the area remained empty, with residents enduring unrestored homes amid insurance disputes and delays. Frustrated by the government response, affected locals formed the independent Maribyrnong Community Recovery Association (MCRA) Inc.

The March Water Think Tank session will focus on the October 2022 Maribyrnong floods. MCRA Chair, Madeleine Serle, will present the organisation's key focus areas:

• HOME, SAFE & DRY: Restoring housing and providing essential support.
• FLOOD PREPAREDNESS: Establishing reliable warning systems.
• MITIGATION: Developing comprehensive catchment-wide flood management.

We’ll dive into key questions, such as how effectively the floods were monitored and learn about the proposed updates in monitoring systems. We'll learn about the evolution of flood mitigation strategies—from past proposals like the retarding basin to modern options—and explore MYCRA’s tender and its potential impact.

This session is a unique opportunity to hear the communities perspective on flood management and their vision for a flood-resilient future for the Maribyrnong catchment.

This event is proudly supported by Hume City Council.