Herbert River Improvement Trust Faces Challenges Amid Growing Expectations

Since the flooding event, the Herbert River Improvement Trust has been dealing with increasing expectations from landowners and community while facing difficulties in securing adequate funding to carry out essential works.

With limited annual budget allocations and a reliance on grant funding, the Trust is struggling to meet demand for riverbank stabilisation, flood mitigation, and infrastructure protection.

The Trust's primary funding comes from an annual budget of approximately $280,000, supplemented by grants. However, securing grant funding has become increasingly difficult, as competition with other organisations intensifies.

In an effort to stretch resources, the Herbert River Improvement Trust follows a cost-sharing model with landowners, typically requiring a 50-50 financial contribution. However, when projects are funded through government grants, often under disaster recovery programs, landowners are not required to contribute.

Since the flood, the Trust is seeing a surge in requests from landowners, but the reality is they cannot fix everything immediately, and some landowners are unaware of the 50/50 contribution needed.

The prioritisation of projects is based on multiple factors, including financial contributions from landowners. Those willing to invest in their own properties often receive higher priority in the Trust's work program. Essential infrastructure projects, such as those that benefit entire communities, also take priority.

Securing government grants is a complex process, involving negotiations with multiple levels of government. More recently, a state grant of $400,000 helped raise the levee in Halifax, preventing severe flooding in the area. While such funding is vital, it is not guaranteed, and the Trust must continually push for financial support.

Getting a grant can take a serious amount of time which can in turn make landowners frustrated, but despite this, the Herbert River Improvement Trust is positive that they will see government grant support to help in this region.