Maribyrnong City Council has been recognised at the 2026 LGPro Awards for Excellence, as a finalist in the Disaster Readiness and Recovery category for their Flood Recovery Program.
Maribyrnong’s Flood Recovery Program is a deeply community-led response to the long tail of the Maribyrnong River Flood of 14 October 2022, which impacted around 500 homes and left some residents displaced years later. Guided by a Community Recovery Committee made up of flood-affected residents and supported by Council’s recovery team, the program has delivered a wide range of initiatives that support wellbeing, preparedness, insurance and advocacy. Rather than treating recovery as a short-term task, Maribyrnong City Council built a model that recognised lived experience, local leadership and social connection as essential parts of building long-term resilience.
The program was structured around four priority areas identified through a Community Strengths and Opportunities Workshop: social recovery and young people, insurance and financial recovery, preparedness, health and safety, and advocacy. Community members nominated themselves to lead projects aligned with their own interests and skills, while a Social Recovery Sub-Committee of agencies and service providers helped coordinate collaborative responses. This approach led to projects such as the Maribyrnong Insurance Project, which produced accessible insurance guides and webinars in English and Vietnamese, property-specific flood risk cards for 477 homes, and a Neighbourhood Flood Network that equips local leaders to share preparedness information and strengthen street-level connections.
The outcomes show the breadth and depth of the program’s impact. Around 340 households have been engaged, with residents accessing material aid, recovery support, psychological-led wellbeing conversations and practical workshops in home maintenance, gardening and car care. A children’s book developed through play therapy and a partnership with 100 Story Building and Cohealth has helped young people tell the story of the flood in their own way, while free weekly tai chi, guided walks, music events and Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre memberships have supported social connection and wellbeing. Accessibility has been central throughout, with translated materials, interpreter services and bicultural outreach helping ensure diverse parts of the community could participate meaningfully in decision-making and recovery support.
This shows how recovery can become a platform for stronger local leadership, better preparedness and more inclusive systems change. Maribyrnong City Council has not only supported residents through the immediate and ongoing impacts of disaster, but also created practical resources, community networks and advocacy pathways that will continue to reduce vulnerability into the future. The initiatives stand out for their commitment to lived experience, grassroots participation and long-term resilience, offering a valuable model for councils supporting communities through complex recovery.
