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| FLYER ISSUE 9: SEPTEMBER 2025 | |
NEXT FMA MEETING:QLD CHAPTER - WEDNESDAY 5 NOVEMBER IN BRISBANE NSW/ACT CHAPTER - THURSDAY 13 NOVEMBER IN SYDNEY
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Welcome to the September edition of the Floodplain Management Australia (FMA) Monthly Flyer. Are you disaster ready? We recently received a card in our home letterbox from Australian Red Cross entitled ‘Are you disaster ready?’. It is great to see that Australian Red Cross has partnered with Australia Post again this year to distribute this type of information to the wider community.
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Key messages are: ‘Disasters can strike at anytime, anywhere. Australian Red Cross has four simple steps to help you plan for emergencies: (i) Get in the know; (ii) Get connected; (iii) Get organised and (iv) Get packing’. For more information, including
how to make your own Emergency Rediplan, visit : www.redcross.org.au/prepare/ (there is even a Disaster Preparedness Quiz to check how prepared you really are!).
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Research Lessons from the Texas Floods Webinar - Natural Hazards Research Australia Earlier this
month, Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA), hosted its September Hazardous Webinar entitled Research Lessons from the Texas floods. The Webinar featured an expert panel from around the United States and
Australia and unpacked the catastrophic flash flooding that occurred in Texas in July this year and the broader implications for flood management. The panel discussion covered vital lessons for floodplain management internationally, emphasising proactive planning, community engagement and leveraging emerging technologies to mitigate flash flood risks. A big thank you to FMA Technical Director, Will Prentice, who represented FMA on the expert panel. Will drew parallels with Australian flood experiences, stressing risk-based land use planning, improved flood modelling and consistent definitions of flash flooding. The complete Webinar is available here on the NHRA website. 2026 FMA National Conference - Gold Coast - 21 to 24 April 2026 I am pleased to report that planning for the 2026 FMA National Conference in the Gold Coast is progressing well. The conference will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) from 21 to 24
April 2026. Note that the dates of the conference in 2026 are about a month earlier than usual … so April 2026 is not a typo! Please put those dates in your diaries now. On the Tuesday of the conference, there will be series of in-depth workshops. We are currently organising the topics of these workshops, so stay tuned for more information in the next month or so. The 3-day conference proper will be held from Wednesday to Friday. The call for Abstracts opened in late September and will close on Friday 5 December. There are 3 presentation types - 10 and 20
minute oral presentations, as well as poster presentations, which are displayed during the conference with authors allocated 3 minutes to present their work. The theme of the Conference is From Risk to Resilience: Advancing Flood Management and your
abstract should align with one or more of the conference themes: - Modelling and flood data
- Flood forecast and warning
- Managing growth and land use planning
- Infrastructure projects and asset management
- Flood policy, guidance and best practice
- Emergency preparedness, response and recovery
- Flood case studies and stories
- Environmental aspects, climate change, coastal hazards and adaptation
- New technology and research
- Flood damages and insurance
- Cultural perspectives (Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and
Māori)
- Social sciences, human behaviour and communication
The conference website is up and running (www.floodplainconference.com) and we have a logo: 
So start thinking about your abstracts now. Successful presenters will be notified by the end of January 2026. Sue Ribbons FMA President |
REVIEW OF NSW RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY'S SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS
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The NSW Parliament's Joint Select Committee on the NSW Reconstruction Authority is holding an inquiry into the Authority's response to the East Coast severe weather from May 2025, including the Mid North Coast floods. The terms of reference include: - The Authority's response to, and any changes or improvements to the operations of the Authority, following recent disasters
- The exercise of any planning powers in the affected region
- How the Authority and relevant agencies communicated to and engaged with affected communities in the delivery and design of reconstruction and preparedness efforts
- The effectiveness of any relevant preparedness and adaptation work by the Authority for the affected region before the disaster
- The application of any relevant funding under the Joint Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The complete terms of reference are on the Committee's webpage here. Submissions close on Friday, 3 October 2025.
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FMA QUEENSLAND WORKSHOP: ENHANCING FLOOD RISK COMMUNICATION
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The afternoon Workshop at the 5 November FMA Meeting in Brisbane will provide a pre-season focus on flood risk communication. Flood professionals and behaviour change specialists share a vital goal: reducing risk and saving lives during extreme weather events. Yet, when technical expertise and communication efforts are not aligned, the result can be mixed messages and greater danger for communities. “Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Flood Risk Communication for Safer Communities” will explore how we can work together to deliver clear, consistent messaging - reinforcing trusted campaigns like “If it’s flooded, forget it” - and ultimately strengthen our collective impact on public safety. The following presenters will form an expert panel and explore this theme: - Daniel Sheehy (WRM) – will re-present his 2025 Harold Sternback Medal winning presentation, Floodways and flooded roads – are we sending mixed messages to drivers?
- Sally Mills Murray (QRA) – will discuss the ‘If its flooded, forget it’ campaign, its effectiveness and where to from here.
- Prof Amisha Mehta (QUT) – will provide an overview of organisational and community
perspectives on flood planning and warning materials in terms of language, terminology, and colours.
Reserve Wednesday 5 November, 12:00 to 5:00 in your calendar now, for the FMA Queensland Chapter Quarterly Meeting and Workshop. More details and registration at the FMA website soon, and emailed direct to you if your email address is registered in FMA’s database. If you wish to
be added to FMA’s contact list please email Project and Services Manager Dominique Evans: projectservices@floods.asn.au
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FLOOD KNOWLEDGE CENTRE AT THE NEW BOM WEBSITE
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The Bureau of Meteorology is building a new website, providing an improved way to check the weather and access the Bureau’s services. The site includes the Flood Knowledge Centre, which has resources which may be useful in communicating flood issues. Topics covered include understanding floods, flood classification and river heights, flood watches and warnings, and preparing for floods. The new site also hosts the Climate Knowledge Centre, the Severe Weather Knowledge Centre and the Radar and Equipment Knowledge Centre. You can access the new Bureau site at: https://beta.bom.gov.au/
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ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA WEBINAR: IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING VOLUME IN FLOOD IMPACT ASSESSMENT
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1 October 2025 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm AEST The Wianamatta South Creek catchment is undergoing significant
transformation as part of the rapid development in Western Sydney, including the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. Encompassing a major new city planned around the future Western Sydney International Airport, the catchment plays a central role in realising the NSW Government’s vision for the “Western Parkland City.” This session will explore the importance of flood impact assessment and risk management in the context of large-scale urban development. With residential, commercial, research, and open space precincts planned within the catchment, integrated water and land use planning is essential to ensure long-term resilience, safety, and liveability. To register, please see: https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/event/2022/05/importance-considering-volume-flood-impact-assessment-69791cd3
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FROM OUR NEW ZEALAND CORRESPONDENT
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Rachael Armstrong, from Hawke's Bay Regional Council in New Zealand, has advised us of the following online webinar which may be of interest to readers: The feasibility of using nature-based solutions to address the flood risk to Masterton 7 October, 12:00pm NZDT Greater Wellington Regional Council has investigated the feasibility of using nature-based solutions to manage the flood risk to Masterton from the Waipoua River. The work focused on four nature-based solutions: - land retirement and afforestation,
- floodplain re-engagement,
- small-scale distributed storage and
- channel realignment/making room for the river.
While flood risk reduction potential was the key focus, the many wider benefits nature-based solutions can provide were also a key consideration for this study. The study
showed that while nature-based solutions are technically feasible for reducing flood peaks from large floods, implementation at a very large scale would be required, at a cost that would likely be hard to justify for flood reduction benefits alone. However, for many local stakeholders the wider benefits could be considered the primary benefit of nature-based solutions by providing for a wide range of ecological, social, and cultural values. To register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__uQwIxrRR5Cerc1kylp0wA
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YFM MONTHLY FEATURE
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Hello from the YFM Committee!
As we cruise into the final quarter of the year, we hope you're keeping productive with exciting projects and gearing up for summer!
The YFM Committee has rounded up some fantastic events and resources for you in the upcoming weeks to help you boost your knowledge and network. We've got a practical TUFLOW Insiders Guide webinar, and a hands-on Abstract Writing Workshop coming up to get you ready for the 2026 FMA Conference. There are more renowned industrial events coming up, so be sure to check those out too! Upcoming YFM-Hosted Events These events are specifically organised by the YFM Committee to help you develop practical skills and contribute to the industry. Modelling Smarter Not Harder: A TUFLOW Insiders Guide (Webinar) YFM has partnered with TUFLOW to bring you this highly practical webinar! Learn simple tips
and tricks to significantly boost your modelling efficiency. The session will cover how to streamline your workflows using the TUFLOW QGIS Plugin, Notepad++, and Python. Whether you’re a seasoned modeller or just starting out, you’ll leave with new time-saving strategies to build better models, faster. Date: Thursday, 2 October 2025 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm AEST Format: Webinar Presenter: Abigail Lillo, Flood Engineer at TUFLOW Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/modelling-smarter-not-harder-a-tuflow-insiders-guide-tickets-1713427992249?keep_tld=1 From Idea to Abstract — Let’s Make It Happen!
(Hybrid Workshop) Ready to take your research or project to the national stage? Join the NSW YFM Committee for this practical, hands-on workshop focused on developing a strong submission for the 2026 Floodplain Management Australia (FMA) Conference. Date: Wednesday, 23 October 2025 In-person Location: KBR, 13/201 Kent St, Sydney NSW 2000 Time: 6 PM - 8 PM What You'll Gain: Learn the essential elements of a successful abstract, get practical advice on how to structure your ideas, and understand what the reviewers are looking
for. Special Feature: Hear insider tips and ask questions during a lively panel discussion with seasoned industry professionals and FMA Conference presenters. Your Next Step: Turn that spark of inspiration into a compelling presentation abstract! This will be a hybrid event — we strongly encourage you to attend in person if you can, to make the most of the networking
opportunities and interactive discussions. For those unable to join on-site, an online meeting link will be shared closer to the date.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
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FMA Meeting Dates for 2025 FMA Queensland Chapter Meeting, Wednesday 5 November - Brisbane FMA NSW/ACT Chapter Meeting, Thursday 13 November - Sydney
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POSITIONS VACANT
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No current vacancies.
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TRAVELLING CONFERENCE SWAG
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Pictured: FMA Executive Officer Glenn Evans with his well-travelled 2011 FMA Conference satchel at Ronda, Spain. Have you got a photo of your FMA
Swag?
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