Local flood guides
Local Flood Guides can help you better understand your flood risk, how flood warnings work and how to prepare yourself, your home or your business.
Your local flood information
Use the lookup box below to find your local flood guide. You can search by suburb, postcode or council/municipality or browse the flood guides by municipality below:
Flood Warnings
VICSES adopted the Australian Warning System for flood in December 2021.
The Australian Warning System (AWS) is a nationally consistent, three-tiered approach designed to make warnings clearer and lead people to take action ahead of severe weather events. The warning system comprises warning levels, action statements, hazard icons, colours and shapes per the table below.
For more information on warnings, visit What to do in an emergency
For more information on the Australian Warning System – visit https://www.australianwarningsystem.com.au/
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Warning levels |
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EMERGENCY WARNING You are in imminent danger and need to take action now. You will be impacted. A Major flood warning usually fits into this category. |
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WATCH AND ACT An emergency is developing nearby. You need to take action now to protect yourself and others. A Moderate flood warning usually fits into this category. |
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ADVICE An incident is occurring or has occurred in the area. Access information and monitor conditions. A Minor flood warning or Flood Watch usually fits into this category. |
In some copies of Local Flood Guides you will see the original set of warning names and icons. Since the implementation of the AWS, this has been updated and you will now see change in name of a ‘Warning’ to a ‘Watch & Act’ and new style of symbols (as per table above).
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Evacuation |
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| If an evacuation is recommended, you will be guided to do so in the action statement in the warning | |
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PREPARE TO EVACUATE/EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY An evacuation is recommended or procedures are in place to evacuate |
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Additional Messages |
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COMMUNITY INFORMATION Can be used as a notification that an incident has occurred but there is no threat to the community; or to issue a newsletter containing updates for communities affected by an emergency. |
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EMERGENCY ALERT During some emergencies, we may alert communities by sounding a local siren, or by sending an SMS to mobile phones or a voice message to landlines. |
Sandbagging guide and collection points
There are many things that you can do to ensure you’re flood ready, including sandbagging.
Sandbags won’t stop floodwater completely, but can reduce the amount of water entering your home or business.
Where can I collect sandbags
In preparedness, you can access sandbags at your local hardware store, or by enquiring with local council.
During significant events, VICSES may establish sandbag collection points within impacted communities.
Current local sandbag collection points are available from the Sandbagging page.
How to sandbag
It’s important that you know how to correctly fill, lay, and place sandbags.
Local Flood Guide community consultation
The following Local Flood Guides are open for community consultation:
Local Flood Guide |
Consultation Period Ends: | |
| Aireys Inlet Local Flood Guide | ust.barwon@ses.vic.gov.au | 26 February 2023 |
