Bushfire recovery

Eurobodalla was significantly impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires. Hundreds of homes, many businesses, and thousands of hectares of bushland were damaged or destroyed.

This page provides information about what Council and other agencies have done to help rebuild and restore the social, built, economic and natural environment. Council's priorities are detailed in our Bushfire Recovery Action Plan.

Practical support

Inquiries and actions

The NSW Government has commissioned an independent expert inquiry into the 2019-20 bushfire season  to consider and report to the Premier on causes and factors contributing to the bushfires, preparation and response by agencies, and planning for future bushfire threats.

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements was established on 20 February 2020 in response to the extreme bushfire season of 2019-20 which resulted in loss of life, property and wildlife, and environmental destruction.

The Commission examined coordination, preparedness for, response to and recovery from disasters as well as improving resilience and adapting to changing climatic conditions and mitigating the impact of natural disasters. The inquiry also considered the legal framework for Commonwealth involvement in responding to national emergencies.

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements has concluded.

Eurobodalla Council's submissions

The Commission draws information from a variety of sources, including public submissions and hearings. Eurobodalla Council received a Notice and Summons to Give Information to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, our submissions are available to read here:

Council’s Bushfire Recovery Plan sets out activities to rebuild and restore the Eurobodalla Shire's social, built, economic and natural environments:

A Council report presented at the ordinary Council meeting on 13 September 2022 summarises the damage to Council’s infrastructure caused by the 2019-2020 bushfires and the nine natural disaster floods that followed. It also provides an overview of Council’s extensive work since to:

  • recover local road and bridge infrastructure
  • improve overall infrastructure resilience
  • advocate for further support from the NSW and Australian Governments to improve the resilience of infrastructure.

The report was presented to Council at the ordinary meeting on 13 September 2022.

Bushfire-affected coastal waterways

The 2019/2020 bushfires affected a diverse range of landscapes and ecosystems across the Eurobodalla, Shoalhaven and Bega local government areas (LGAs).

Eurobodalla, Shoalhaven and Bega councils engaged an independent consultant to prepare a Catchment and Waterways Bushfire Recovery Plan for south-east NSW. The objective of the plan is to prioritise high-risk sites for targeted ecological restoration activities to aid bushfire recovery and build environmental resilience.

Estuary monitoring program

In November 2020 we expanded our monthly Estuary Monitoring Program to identify impacts to fire-affected waterways.

The program includes Clyde River, Tomaga River, Moruya River, Tuross River, Coila Lake, and Wagonga Inlet.

Eurobodalla nesting box program

Damage from the 2019/20 summer bushfires significantly reduced the number of nesting hollows for animals across the Eurobodalla. With thanks to funding from WIRES and government grants, we are installing artificial hollows, called nesting boxes, for local wildlife.

The boxes cannot replace an old growth tree with diverse hollows, but in areas where these hollows no longer exist, nesting boxes can benefit some wildlife species.