We acknowledge the Bundjalung people, the Traditional Custodians of the Brunswick, Tweed and Richmond River catchments, and parts of the Clarence River catchment. We also acknowledge the Yaegl and Gumbaynggir people as Traditional Custodians of parts of the Clarence River catchment. We pay our respects to Elders past and present throughout the Northern Rivers region and recognise their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community.

Two people standing in front of house - Northern Rivers campaign

Prepare together, stronger than ever

Floods are part of life in the Northern Rivers. Preparing early can make all the difference.

Know your risk. Make a plan. Understand the warnings. And above all, keep looking out for each other.

When we prepare together, we’re stronger than ever.

Get to know your rivers

Floods don’t affect everyone in the same way — the impacts can be very different depending on where you live.

Learn more about why it floods in your part of the Northern Rivers with these videos about local catchments and river systems.

Northern Rivers Catchments

Brunswick River Catchment

Clarence River Catchment

Richmond River Catchment

Tweed River Catchment

Northern Rivers local flood guides

Find out how floods impact your local area.

Know the risk in your local area

Knowing your risk means learning about your local catchments, checking flood guides, exploring council resources, and drawing on community knowledge.

The more you understand, the better prepared you’ll be when floods happen.

Check your flood risk in your local area

Plan and prepare for a flood

In a survey of Northern Rivers residents in 2024/25, 87% of participants stated they had experienced a flood. 66% want to take more action to feel well prepared for future floods.*

Follow the link below to find tools and resources to be better prepared for future floods.

Create an Emergency Plan

Plan for all possible impacts and make decisions on what you'll do in an emergency.

Emergency Kit

An emergency kit can save you valuable time during an emergency. It has items you might need if you lose power or have to leave your home quickly.

Accessibility Resources

Accessible resources are available to individuals with additional support needs to help plan and prepare for flood, storm, and tsunami.

*Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program Regional Community Flood Risk Awareness Project Research Report. NSW Reconstruction Authority, June 2025.

Do you live behind a levee?

Learn more about how levees work to protect communities from flooding. Follow the link for information about the levees in Grafton and Maclean.

Learn more

Do you know the warnings?

When flooding is likely, the NSW SES issue warnings to help keep you safe. Get to know what these warnings mean before an emergency so you can act quickly and make safer decisions.

Learn more

Be prepared with these apps

Download these 4 apps for weather warnings, hazard notifications, road impacts and help from emergency services.

Hazards Near Me

Set up a watch zone to receive notifications on changing conditions.

Live Traffic

Plan ahead and see what hazards are impacting your route on NSW roads.

BOM Weather

Check for weather forecasts and warnings.

Emergency Plus

The ‘what 3 words’ feature shares your precise location with emergency services.

In your community

Your local council

Your local community