Two years after floods ravaged the Northern Rivers, the NSW government has revealed where hundreds of new flood-free homes are to be built. More than 70 hectares of university owned land in Lismore will be opened up to development. But residents still face a long wait to rebuild.
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00:00 Joe Groves had her South Lismore home raised four metres into the air.
00:07 It didn't stop more than a metre of water gushing inside the property in 2022.
00:13 It's difficult living in a house that no matter how much you clean it, you know, smells like
00:18 dirt.
00:19 The state government has revealed the first site for a new flood-free housing development
00:24 under its $100 million Resilient Lands Program.
00:28 More than 400 dwellings will be built on 72 hectares of surplus land in East Lismore,
00:34 which is currently owned by Southern Cross University.
00:38 They'll be a mix of medium and low-density properties, and 20 per cent will be used for
00:42 affordable housing.
00:44 Notwithstanding some of the red tape and some of the challenges associated with moving literally
00:50 thousands of people to new suburbs and new communities, we will not walk away from Lismore.
00:55 The scheme was announced more than a year ago to find and develop flood-free land for
01:00 people displaced by the disaster.
01:03 With land and property not due to go on sale until 2026, it's a long wait for residents.
01:10 I feel like there's been little to no community consultation, and to be asked to wait another
01:16 two years now is tantamount to cruelty in my opinion.
01:21 Well look, I can understand their frustration, it's been a long time since the flooding on
01:26 the northern rivers, but we're determined to make this community whole.
01:30 Thousands of homes across the northern rivers were damaged in the 2022 floods, and people
01:35 in affected communities beyond Lismore have been assured other development sites will
01:40 be opened up.
01:41 There are more to come across the region because we work as a region in our flood recovery.
01:47 While the wait continues, a picture of a rebuilt city is starting to emerge.
01:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]