Council continues to rebuild one year after floods

Steady progress is being made to repair Strathbogie Shire Council’s important community facilities following the devastating floods in October 2022.

Strathbogie Shire Council Mayor, Cr Laura Binks, thanked the community for their patience and understanding on what she described as “a challenging process”.

“We deeply appreciate the community’s patience and understanding regarding these projects,” Cr Binks said.

“The restoration process for these vital community assets has been a more challenging journey, that anyone could have anticipated.”

In October 2022 flood water devastated parts of Strathbogie Shire, causing more than $1 million in damage to five community facilities in Euroa alone.

“It is now a year on and although we have had many setbacks, including shortages in available trade personnel, we are well on our way to resurrecting these essential facilities.

“We cannot wait to see these facilities, that provide such wonderful services to our community, reopened and hosting community groups once again.”

Cr Binks said the insurance claim currently stood at $1.2 million and was expected to continue to rise.

“‘This huge damage claim relates to the Euroa RSL Club, Euroa Bowls Club, Euroa Croquet Club, Euroa Third Age Club, and Euroa Miniature Railway alone, we anticipate the total claim amount to increase as we progress,” she said.

“I cannot say strongly enough we are grateful to our community for their understanding throughout this process and we will provide an update when the works are complete.”

Overview of the progress on individual projects:

RSL Club: 25 per cent complete, with works continuing in mid-September. The discovery of termite damage was promptly addressed to prevent further delays in the restoration process.

Euroa Bowls Club: Progress 50 per cent, with works initiated in early July. Plastering and flooring have been successfully completed.

Euroa Croquet Club: At 70 per cent completion, Most of the carpentry and plastering work is done. About 40 per cent of the electrical and plumbing work has been completed, with painting scheduled to commence in early October. Upcoming tasks include installing new windows and an entry door, along with completing the flooring.

Euroa Third Age Club: Progress currently stands at 20 per cent, with the starting focus on the flooring, which recently commenced.

Euroa Miniature Railway: The facility has been stripped out and is on track for restoration works to commence in December.

Euroa Caravan Park: This area is still under investigation as we work diligently to assess the extent of the damage and develop a comprehensive plan for recovery.