Northern Rivers NSW

EGA was engaged by our client to carry out emergency response scope following the Lismore and Northern Rivers Floods in March 2022. The northern rivers floods were Australia’s biggest natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy in 1974. It was the second-costliest event in the world for insurers in 2022, and the most expensive disaster in Australian history.

Following the floods, EGA mobilised a team of up to ten consultants, who were then based in the Northern Rivers region from April 2022 until October 2023.

Over this time, the team carried out over 5000 property inspections across the region, consulting with government officials and flood affected residents, to ensure assistance and funding could be allocated to those in need.

Following the initial assessments, EGA’s team of Licensed Asbestos Assessors and Occupational Hygienists carried out surveys and removal / clearance of hazardous building materials, so that repairs and / or demolition of floor affected properties could be undertaken safely without the need for controls.

Our scope further evolved into ongoing environmental management during the construction and delivery of temporary housing across a number of sites within the Northern Rivers region, ensuring delivery of temporary housing was completed in a timely manner, while taking into consideration environmental obligations to legislation to ensure the protection of the sensitive ecosystem of the region.

The following outcomes were achieved through our varying scope:

• Immediate mobilisation and widespread reach across the region ensured flood affected residents and business owners could begin their long road to recovery;
• Accurate identification and clearance of asbestos and hazardous materials within flood affected properties ensured future recovery, repairs and demolition works could commence without the risk of harmful exposure to workers, residents and the wider community; and
• Our ongoing environmental management advice and presence allowed temporary housing construction and delivery to be carried out swiftly, while maintaining the highest degree of environmental integrity.