Emergencies and Disasters

Get Ready for an Emergency

Get ready for an emergency by knowing your risks, planning ahead, preparing your home, staying informed and looking out for others—always call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

Emergency Contacts & Apps

A collection of useful apps plans and emergency contacts to help you prepare and reduce stress when disasters occur.

River Heights

View the latest river heights and real-time water data.

Disaster Recovery Information

Key disaster recovery information for Gunnedah Shire residents including available support and flood waste disposal.

Emergency Dashboard

Gunnedah's Emergency Dashboard provides up-to-date disaster information, helping communities stay informed, prepared, and safe during emergencies.

1. Get Ready for an Emergency

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

 

  1. Know your risk. Think about the area you’re in and how the disaster events may impact your home.
  2. Plan now for what you will do. Sit down and talk with your family and plan for what you will do if a disaster affects you.
  3. Get your home ready. Prepare your home by doing general home maintenance and checking your insurance coverage.
  4. Be aware. Find out how to prepare, what to do if there is a disaster in your area or while you are away on holidays and connect with NSW emergency services or keep on top of news reports if travelling so you can stay informed.
  5. Look out for each other. Share information with your family, friends, neighbours and those who may need assistance.

For more information, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency

 

2. Contact Numbers

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Dealing with a Disaster is difficult. Did you know there is support out there that will help you before, during and after a disaster. Here are some useful apps, plans and numbers to save into your phone for when a disaster may strike. The more prepared you are for emergencies and disasters the less stressful they become.

National Relay Services
Deaf, hard of hearing or speech impairment:

Telecommunication faults:

Northwest Radio Frequencies: 648AM and 99.1FM

Assistance with animals:

3. Apps to Download

Live Traffic

Live Traffic Logo

Live Traffic NSW provides real-time information about roads and changed traffic conditions that affect your journey on roads throughout NSW.

Hazards Near Me

Hazards Near Me Logo

This app shows current information about local emergencies, including flood, bushfire, and tsunamis, and provide advice on what to do to stay safe. You can select your location and choose to receive notifications when there are new incidents or information.

 

Emergency Plus

Emergency Plus App logo

This app uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details to mobilise emergency services.

 

BOM Weather

BOM Logo

Check for weather forecasts and warnings.

 

Users should read applicable Terms of Use and Disclaimers for each app. Gunnedah Shire Council does not accept responsibility for any app limitations.

 

4. Gunnedah Shire River Heights

As each flood behaves differently, predicting the areas that may be affected can be quite challenging. The following chart developed by NSW SES serves as a guide for identifying areas and actions to consider at various water levels of the Namoi River in Gunnedah.

>> Gunnedah Flood Consequences Chart.pdf

Local Flood Insights - Namoi River

 

To view the latest river heights (including plots and tables) visit BOM - Latest River Heights - North West (NSW)

For real-time water data such as river flows and dam storage visit: Water NSW real-time water data

 

5. Disaster Recovery Information

Information and contacts for residents who need assistance following recent flooding can be found by clicking the link below:

Gunnedah Disaster Recovery Information.pdf

NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin announced a Natural Disaster Declaration for the Gunnedah Local Government Area on Friday, 8 August, 2025.

Available Support

Updated 18, August 2025

Financial assistance and recovery support is available for eligible NSW residents affected by the recent severe weather in New England.

For more information download New England and North West - Community Financial Assistance Fact Sheet.pdf

More information here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/recovery/storm-recovery-updates/grants-payments-and-financial-support

 

Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Assessment survey

The Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Assessment (PiNDDA) survey is a simple online survey which farmers, NSW Agriculture and Local Land Services NSW staff, and stakeholders can use to record damage to primary production and animals from natural disasters such as floods, fires and storms.

The PiNDDA survey allows landholders to:

? complete a simple survey identifying the number of crops, animals, infrastructure and other primary industries damaged in a single event

? add photos to the assessment

? see the severity of damage in the area.

DPIRD can view survey information in real time and results are used to determine:

? the area the natural disaster has impacted and the scale of the event

? the severity of the impact

? the value of damage to primary production sectors and enterprises

? where and what assistance or resources may be needed.

 

This helps the Government and communities understand the scale and regional distribution of the impact of a disaster on agriculture and target resources and assistance in an area.

To report damage, click here: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/damagesurvey

 

Flood Waste Disposal

Updated 6, August, 2025

Gunnedah Shire Council is offering free waste disposal to help residents clear flood-damaged residential and household goods from their properties.

Fees for the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility

Fees for the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility will be waived for eligible flood-generated waste when residents fill out a Flood Declaration Form.

Download the Residential Flood Declaration Form 2025-2026.pdf or pick one up at the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility.

Anyone who has already deposited flood waste at the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility may be eligible for a refund. Please take your receipt to Council’s administration building at 63 Elgin Street or phone (02) 6740 2100 to determine this.

 

Skip Bins

Council will be placing seven skip bins in the following locations in Gunnedah:

  • Opposite 127 Maitland Street on gravel pad;
  • Opposite 100 Maitland Street on town side near vacant lot;
  • Opposite 163 Marquis Street near vacant lot;
  • Tempest Street opposite white house on vacant lot;
  • Out the front of 46 Tempest Street;
  • Rosemary Street near Brown's Tyre Service on Brown's Tyre Service side; and
  • Warrumbungle Street just past number 20.

Residents can dispose of flood waste in the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility or skip bins at Gunnedah until otherwise advised. Please note that some volume limits apply.

✅ Eligible flood waste that can be disposed of includes sandbags, furniture, whitegoods and general sorted domestic waste.

❌ Ineligible waste includes tyres, chemicals, liquid waste, commercial waste, mixed building waste, asbestos-containing materials and medical waste.

Impacted residents can contact the State Emergency Service on 132 500 for assistance with flood clean-up.

 

Financial Assistance

For flood-related financial assistance inquiries, contact:

Service NSW on 137 788 (7am to 7pm Mon to Fri - Sydney time) or

visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/services/financial-assistance-after-a-natural-disaster

 



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