Recovery and resettlement following the 2011 flash flooding in the Lockyer Valley

Abstract

The Lockyer Valley region in southeast Queensland, Australia experienced extreme flash flooding in January 2011 that resulted in the loss of 19 lives including 12 in the township of Grantham. In order to reduce future risks, the Lockyer Valley Regional Council (LVRC) immediately committed to an innovative community resettlement project, despite an environment of political resistance and bureaucratic turmoil. From a local government perspective, this paper provides an overview and examination of the unique disaster recovery and resettlement process undertaken by the LVRC. A mixed methods approach was used to assess the resettlement project in terms of political, cultural, social and financial factors that act to sustain and improve people's lives and livelihoods. Methods included field observations, documentary analysis, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with key LVRC officers. Integrating the interview data sets and a variety of source materials, this paper assesses the early-stage outcomes of the resettlement and recovery process in Grantham and discusses the challenges and issues identified in the process so far. The paper addresses the significance of collaboration between all sectors involved including community members; governments; and land-use planning and emergency management practitioners. This research highlights the importance of community participation and the need for ongoing assessments in the resettlement and recovery process.