The Launceston flood policies: levees and beyond

Abstract

Launceston, Tasmania’s second largest municipality, has been recognised as a floodprone area since the first major inundation was recorded in 1828. Following a one in forty year flood event in 1969, the areas susceptible to flooding were protected by a levee system which has been maintained and funded by the Launceston City Council (LCC) and the Tasmanian Government. In May 2007, the latest funding from all tiers of government was committed to levee maintenance. This article examines the development of Launceston’s flood levee and flood mitigation policies. It argues that while levee maintenance is an important part of flood management, the additional social, emergency management and planning and development policies that are currently being implemented will strengthen the policy makers’ responses in the event of a flood.