Reducing the risks of floods

Key milestones delivered during this first year included:

• Funding agreements with the 9 regional CMAs were established to allocate $7.2 million funding over 4 years to undertake coordination of Regional Floodplain Management Strategies and relevant activities set out by the Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy.
• An investment plan for new flood studies was confirmed for 2024–25 in consultation with CMAs and the local councils in their regions. A total of 13 new flood studies received funding in February 2025, with all commenced by 30 June 2025.
• A competitive Regional Flood Risk Reduction Grants program opened for applications from flood project managers in November 2024 and closed 19 December 2024. Nineteen applications were received, with 10 projects addressing climate change adaptation, future flood resilience, and local flood risk management approved for funding totalling $5.8 million. Projects are expected to be completed by July 2027. Emergency Management Victoria is coordinating the program on behalf of DEECA.
• The full suite of Victoria’s flood mapping held by FloodZoom has been shared with the Insurance Council of Australia for use by the insurance sector when setting premiums.

Key achievements during 2025-26 strengthened Victoria's ability to understand, prepare for and reduce flood risk. Together, these actions supported safer communities, better planning decisions and improved access to information that helps households, businesses and local governments make informed decisions about flood risk.

Milestones delivered during 2025–26 include:

• Continued investment in all 9 regional catchment management authorities (CMAs) to coordinate regional floodplain management strategies and local flood risk management activities. This supports a consistent, locally informed approach to managing flood risk across regional Victoria.
• Progressed implementation of Victoria's flood planning and flood risk management reforms, helping ensure new development is better informed by contemporary flood information and reducing future community exposure to flood hazards.
• Introduced a new risk-based flood hazard classification system that provides clearer and more consistent information about flood risk for communities, planners, developers and emergency services.
• Improved access to contemporary flood risk information to support better decisions about where and how communities grow, reducing future exposure of people, property and critical infrastructure to flood hazards.
• Established a more proportionate, risk-based approach to flood planning and approvals, helping streamline decision-making while maintaining appropriate protections in higher-risk areas.
• Strengthened the role of Melbourne Water and CMAs in flood modelling and community engagement, improving consistency in flood risk assessments and reducing administrative burdens on local councils.
• Enhanced the availability of flood information for households, businesses and the insurance sector, supporting greater transparency about local flood risk and helping people make more informed decisions about development and preparedness.
• Confirmed a statewide investment program for new flood studies in partnership with CMAs and local councils. Eight new flood studies commenced during 2025–26, improving understanding of flood behaviour and supporting better planning, infrastructure investment and emergency management decisions.
• Delivered a second round of Regional Flood Risk Reduction Grants, supporting projects that help communities better prepare for, respond to and recover from future flooding. The program encourages local solutions that address region-specific risks and priorities.
• Expanded the availability of Victoria’s flood mapping through FloodZoom and shared information with the insurance sector to improve understanding of flood risk.
• Increased public access to flood risk information through the Victorian Government's Are You Covered? online tool, enabling property owners, businesses and prospective buyers to better understand local flood risk and make more informed decisions about insurance and preparedness.

These investments are helping communities across Victoria, particularly in regional and flood-prone areas, to better understand local flood risks, make informed decisions about homes and businesses, and strengthen preparedness for future flood events. Improved flood information and planning also support more resilient regional economies, safer development outcomes and faster recovery following major floods.