Leading Victoria’s First Dedicated Flood Recovery Office
Results Snapshot
Client: Moira Shire Council
Location: North-East Victoria
Sector: Local Government
Solution: Emergency Management Services
- $40 million infrastructure recovery project delivered ahead of schedule
- 3,500 defects logged and tracked via DELTA-S
- New contractor performance evaluation model introduced
- Standalone Flood Recovery Office established in Numurkah
- Transparent governance and community engagement framework
Overview
When record floods struck Victoria in 2012, Moira Shire Council faced unprecedented damage – with more than 80% of the 4,000 km² shire affected. Over 1,000 properties, 1,400 km of roads, bridges, drains, and community buildings were impacted. With limited in-house capacity, Council partnered with CT Management Group to lead the $40 million infrastructure recovery effort through a structured, transparent, and locally-based model establishing a dedicated Flood Recovery Office in Numurkah to coordinate and deliver the project.
The Challenge
The scale of the disaster created enormous operational and financial challenges:
- Restoring community infrastructure across multiple towns within government-set deadlines.
- Limited staff capacity – only 200 FTE across Council.
- Meeting strict Local Government Act and funding requirements despite incomplete early damage data.
- Maintaining transparency and community trust throughout the recovery process.
To meet these challenges, Moira Shire needed specialist disaster management expertise, compliant procurement processes, and integrated project tracking to ensure accountability and value for money.
Our Solution
CT Management Group developed and implemented a unique recovery framework combining dedicated project leadership, advanced asset management technology, and community collaboration.
The approach included:
- Establishing a stand-alone Flood Recovery Office in Numurkah as the community contact hub.
- Forming a specialist Flood Recovery Team led by CT Management Group Associates, including engineers, project managers, contract supervisors, and inspectors.
- Implementing the DELTA-S asset and defect management system, enabling real-time recording, cost tracking, and reporting on 3,500 individual defects.
- Developing an innovative contractor management model using a panel approach under schedule-of-rates contracts.
- Leveraging data and reporting tools to support transparent funding claims and project oversight.
This model allowed the recovery team to manage infrastructure repair with precision, speed, and complete financial accountability.
The Outcomes
Through CT Management Group’s leadership, Moira Shire Council achieved one of Victoria’s most successful recovery efforts:
- Infrastructure restoration completed ahead of the June 2014 grant deadline.
- Delivery of all works under full governance and compliance.
- Transparent financial reporting satisfying Treasury and Audit requirements.
- More than 3,500 projects logged and tracked through DELTA-S for accuracy and efficiency.
- Creation of a community-centric recovery model replicated by other councils.
The initiative re-established vital community infrastructure while restoring confidence and local pride – setting a new benchmark for disaster recovery in local government.
Testimonials
“In a multi-million-dollar flood recovery, I could count on one hand the number of complaints received. In Local Government terms, that’s a resounding endorsement.”
— Gary Arnold, Chief Executive Officer, Moira Shire Council
“The creation of a standalone Flood Recovery Office is quite inspirational. It has never been done before, here.”
— Mayor Brian Keenan, Moira Shire Council