Council to look at ways to improve flood immunity at Rudders Lagoon

The investigation will be included in council's 2021-22 Operating Plan and subsequently pursues grant funding to upgrade this section of road.

This comes after the town of Crescent Head and residents along Crescent Head Road and surrounding areas were isolated for a number of days during last month's flood.

Councillor Bruce Morris put forward the recommendation at the meeting and said looking at ways to improve access for residents along Crescent Head Road during a flood is a priority.

"The area gets closed more frequently than other areas during a flood and it does become disruptive for the Kempsey Adventist School," he said.

"During the recent flood a crane had to be used to lift produce off the bypass onto Crescent Head Road. This action would alleviate that needing to be done.

"There might not be grant opportunities there, but I think it would be worthwhile trying to do something."

Cr Morris acknowledged that Crescent Head Road would still be closed at the Corduroy during times of flood, but that fixing the issue at Rudders Lagoon would greatly help a number of residents with access to town.

Councillor Leo Hauville spoke against the recommendation following his previous attempts to request the State Government and the Roads and Maritime Services to undertake an assessment of an interchange off the Pacific Motorway for Crescent Head.

"If an interchange had been funded from 2018, we may now already have one," he said.

"Council should be getting the State Government to pay for an interchange. If we had an interchange, we wouldn't have to now look at how to raise Rudders Lagoon."

Council's general manager Craig Milburn said council is currently looking at applying for funding to construct an emergency slip lane for re-supply purposes during a flood.

"The flood highlighted the need for us to consider how we deal with the community who becomes isolated between the Corduroy and Rudders Lagoon as well as the re-supply into Crescent Head," he said.

"One thing we have talked about is approaching the State Government about putting in at least a single lane emergency slip from the freeway up onto the overpass to allow emergency vehicles access through that area.

"It wouldn't allow for public traffic, but would simply be an emergency slip supply line."

The recommendation to include an investigation of the options to improve flood immunity at Rudders Lagoon passed unanimously.

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