The Dungog Shire Local Government Area includes several villages such as Seaham, East Seaham, and Clarence Town, located along the Williams River and Jackass Creek, near Raymond Terrace. The area's landscape varies from countryside to steep terrain, with flood effects primarily from flash flooding along Myall Creek and coincident flooding of the Williams River. The Paterson River, originating in Barrington Tops National Park, is also a significant feature, joining the Hunter River at Hinton. Flood management efforts include the Seaham Weir to limit tidal influence and levee systems along the Paterson and Hunter Rivers, which significantly impact flood behaviour.
The local information page provides valuable resources for your Local Government Area (LGA). You can explore flood information for your local river catchment through Local Flood Insights, access local flood plans and guides, and connect with local councils and NSW SES units.
Clarence Town, Seaham and East Seaham
The villages of Seaham, East Seaham, and Clarence Town, along with surrounding rural areas in the Port Stephens and Dungog LGAs, are situated within 32 km of Raymond Terrace. The Williams River, fed by the steeply sloped Chichester River, presents a significant flood risk, with Seaham Weir constructed to limit tidal and Hunter River backflow. During major floods, these areas can become isolated for up to five days, highlighting the severe flood risk residents face.
Dungog
Dungog, located at the convergence of the Myall Creek and Williams River catchments, is situated on undulating terrain that rises to steep countryside. The confluence, directly east of Dungog, makes flood levels along Myall Creek heavily dependent on the Williams River. Flash flooding from Myall Creek poses the greatest flood risk to northern Dungog, independent of the Williams River, though coincident flooding of both can exacerbate water levels in Myall Creek. While few houses are on the Williams River floodplain, the town remains at significant risk of flooding from these combined events.
Paterson
The Paterson and Allyn Rivers, flowing through farming lands, join near Vacy and continue south to meet the Hunter River at Hinton. When the Hunter River floods, it can cause the Paterson River to back up, leading to low-lying flooding across Hinton and Phoenix Park. A levee system, constructed in the 1960s and 1970s, helps contain smaller flood events but still influences flood behaviour in the region.