Imagine a new heart in Lismore, which is now flood-stricken

The flood crisis that struck northern New South Wales in late August has caused severe damage to lives. People who have been most affected by the floods in northern New South Wales are confused and struggling to understand the loss of their homes, livelihoods, possessions, and lives.

Both of us are residents of the Lismore region that has been hard hit. We also work as researchers with skills and knowledge in resilience, geography, community development, and geography. Jean Renouf, one of us, works for Fire and Rescue NSW. We both help people affected by the recent floods, and its aftermath.

We’ve seen the heartbreak in Lismore first-hand. Shock and pain is evident in people’s eyes. The reality has hit that there’s no longer a coffee shop in the town centre, no pub, restaurant, hairdresser, clothing store, pharmacy or newsagent. It is hard to believe their horror at the loss of their hometown.

There is also a strange feeling of déjà vu. After the 2017 floods, the town struggled to regain its life. People now talk about leaving Lismore. One business owner stated:

I lived here for ten years. After the last flood, I got up and started over. I simply haven’t got it in me to do it again.

What will it take to rebuild Lismore again? How can the new town be more resilient than its predecessor?

A flood-weary village

Lismore lies on a flood plain alongside the Wilsons River.

In the town’s Early daysThe river provided water and a route for transport. Its fertile flood plains were ideal for food production and the river provided a major trade route for Lismore’s timber and farming industries.

Over the years, improvements in road transport and other services mean Lismore’s riverside CBD location has become less necessary.

Lismore is used to flooding, but the most recent flood was not at all. two metres higherThey are more than the ones previously recorded. Aboriginal elders, however, report “big floods” in the past topped Lismore’s cathedral hill, as this one did.

Climate change will likely lead to more intense and frequent rainfall, which will increase flood risk.

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A techno-fix won’t work

Historically, engineered solutions have been introduced to reduce Lismore’s flood risk.

One-in-ten years flood levee Was builtIn 2005, the CBD was protected. In 2017, however, water overflowed the levee and damaged one of the most damagingThis century has seen floods.

Flood waters can rise rapidly when flood waters are trapped beneath levees rather than draining away. Also, levees provide protection. False sense of safetyBusinesses in Lismore

You can construct buildings with specific materials and design. flood-resilient. However, contents cannot be flood-proofed and can’t be affordably insured.

Other engineering solutions were also suggested, such as ExcavatingRiver bends can be used to speed up floodwater exit. However, these measures can increase flooding downstream and may not be helpful during major floods.

Residents of Lismore are unlikely to support ProposalsFor a new dam to be built upstream. This would cause environmental and social harm.

Lismore reimagined

Clearly, Lismore urgently needs radical change – and that requires bold and creative land-use planning.

A staged move of CBD to higher ground would be key to a reimagined Lismore.

One strategy is to encourage land swaps. Lismore City Council could exchange commercial land in the CBD for high ground (either land that it already owns or land that it purchases). A well considered “structure plan” – used to manage growth and change – with careful rezoning could encourage changed land use and attract new commercial development.

Owners of commercial premises could be offered financial incentives to encourage them to move to safer areas. This could lead to smaller hubs that can be used for professional offices, retail precincts, and cultural activities.

It is worth considering the possibility of multiple services being located on flood-free land owned either by federal or state authorities. This could be used to bring together emergency services as well as health services and government support office.

Relocating unsafe houses should be avoided. Authorities may have to buy back housing blocks. Some houses may be moved to higher ground if they can be repaired.

Before this year’s floods, housing in Lismore was already in short supply. Creative planning could address this – perhaps allowing landholders to build tiny houses or granny flats on high ground.

We saw floodwaters engulfing police, fire stations, and SES stations during the recent floods. This rendered them inoperable. The emergency service bases below the maximum flood height must be relocated or modified immediately.

And what do you do with the riverside land on which the CBD is currently located?

The riverine environment could also be restored. To slow down water runoff, impervious surfaces like concrete and asphalt could be replaced by regenerated bushland.

Commercial properties near the river could be replaced by expansive parklands. This “green heart” could incorporate new facilities such as an ampitheatre and sports fields in areas less likely to flood, retaining some heritage buildings for public use.

These sites would be easier to restore if they were damaged by flooding than commercial buildings.

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A new city heart

This new Lismore will be difficult to achieve. This new Lismore will require substantial public and private resources. It will take political will, and most importantly, community support.

This might all seem very hard, but towns have been fully or partially relocated for similar reasons in the past – most recently, at the Queensland Grantham, Massachusetts.

Many Lismore residents wish to live in a safer and better place, with a new CBD and a verdant riverside community.

However, such changes will face justifiable resistance from property and business owners in the CBD. Steve Krieg, Lismore mayor, spoke out earlier this month. summed upThe sentiment of some, telling media:

40 years ago, people tried to [move Lismore]But you need to understand that Lismore people love Lismore. They don’t want it to move or be taken away from them.

The economic, social, and emotional costs of this flood are unimaginable. Residents and businesses are considering leaving Lismore.

This town with heart needs a new beginning.

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