Wet weather a timely reminder to be prepared

Published on 25 October 2022

With a number of rainy days forecast — and river catchments already saturated — it's a timely reminder for residents in low-lying parts of the city to understand their flood risk, remain situationally aware, and have a flood plan in place.

For resources, information and tips on what to do in a flood, visit: Flooding in Launceston

Launceston is a flood prone city which sits at the junction of the kanamaluka / Tamar Estuary and the North Esk and South Esk Rivers.

Since record-keeping began, there have been nearly 40 significant riverine floods in Launceston.

Major flood events were recorded in 1852, 1863, 1929, 1969 and 2016.

Flooding can occur at any time of year.

The most significant flood event in Launceston's recorded history took place in 1929 when more than 2000 homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed in low-lying parts of the city, particularly Invermay. 

As a result of the 1929 flood, construction on a flood levee system for Launceston began in the 1960s.

In 2010, a major reconstruction of the city's flood defence system began and, in 2018, an additional 700m-long flood levee at Newstead was completed.

Today, more than 12km of earth and concrete levees protect low-lying parts of Launceston, including 19 flood gates and a network of river height sensors which provide emergency services with real-time data on flooding in our major river catchments.

The Launceston flood levee system is designed to contain a flood equivalent to that experienced in 1929.

However, there will always be a risk of a flood event greater than what the levee system can provide protection for.

Given the ground conditions in parts of the city, there is also a risk of failure.

The City of Launceston's website contains a range of information on flooding in Launceston, including links to resources on the TasAlert website.