A $40 million resilient homes program for Central West NSW residents hit by devastating floods two years ago opens for applications today. 

The federal and state government funding supports home buybacks, measures such as retrofitting or raising properties, and free home assessments. 

The local government areas of Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes are included, while homeowners in Euabalong in Cobar Shire may also be eligible. 

“Buybacks will help more vulnerable people relocate from high-risk flood areas, while the grants will allow people to stay in the communities they love in safer, more resilient homes,” NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said. 

“Free professional advice and home assessments are also essential so people can make informed decisions that best suit their personal circumstances.” 

Eligibility is determined by flood maps that identify risk based on studies and updated data and input from technical experts, in consultation with groups such as councils and the State Emergency Service. 

The November 2022 Central West disaster triggered 14,414 insurance claims, with losses totalling $237 million, but many residents did not have flood cover. 

The official flood peak in Eugowra topped 11 metres, half a metre higher than the estimate for a one-in-5000-year event, and the water lifted some houses off their foundations. 

It followed other flooding catastrophes that year, including the record disaster that hit southeast Queensland and northern NSW in February and March. 

The government says lessons learnt from a Northern Rivers resilient homes program have been considered in the Central West arrangements, which are part of a broader $100 million Central West recovery and resilience package under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. 

NSW Reconstruction Authority CEO Mal Lanyon, when asked about the time taken to open applications in the Central West, said extensive consultation had taken place with the community to ensure it reflected their needs. 

“It’s now about delivering,” he said. “We certainly accept that people have moved on in some parts of the community as well, but there have been a range of measures put in place to try to assist the community where we can.”