Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity with the impacts and costs of these disaster also increasing over the past decade. The Riverina Murray region is exposed to bushfires, floods, storms, heat and drought on a recurring basis with more than 27 disaster declarations issued across the region between 2020 and 2023.

The Commonwealth and NSW Governments have established disaster resilience and risk reduction initiatives to deliver projects that support Australians to manage the physical and social impacts of disasters caused by climate change and other natural hazards.

As part of these initiatives, RAMJO has been awarded approximately $694,000 in 2025-26 as part of the Disaster Ready Fund – Round 2 for the project: ‘All-hazards, risk-based approach to strategic land use planning and critical infrastructure asset management for Riverina/Murray Region’.

In 2023-24, RAMJO was awarded approximately $650,000 as part of the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund to complete the project: ‘Building knowledge and improving practice in disaster risk reduction in the Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation footprint’. 

2025-26 Disaster Ready Fund – Round 2

The Disaster Ready Fund Round 2 Project aims to enhance RAMJO member councils’ capacity to respond, adapt and recover from disaster. The project comprises three components, including:

1) Critical Infrastructure Risk Assessments, Asset and Infrastructure Risk Management Plan Assessments and Mitigation Action Plans;

2) Land Use Planning Maturity Assessments, completion of the DPHI Natural Hazards Planning Considerations Checklist and Planning Priority Action Plans; and,

3) Synthesis and embedment workshops to incorporate findings from the project into council strategic documents.

The Disaster Ready Fund Round 2 project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.

2023-24 Disaster Risk Reduction Fund

This project comprised four components to improve corporate and community risk preparedness, including:

• Local and Regional Needs Analyses and Opportunities Reports
• 22 community workshops that helped communities prepare for, understand and take action to reduce multi-hazard disaster risks;
• A Transport Vulnerability Assessment that assessed the risks to the region’s transport networks and developed priorities for future investment; and,
• Workshops and tools to help councils embed project learnings into Councils’ Integrated Planning and Reporting documents.

The project also saw the development of a disaster resilience network across the Joint Organisations in NSW that continues to build capacity, share resources and more systematically collaborate with key State agencies.

The Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF) was jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.

If you would like further information about these projects or how you can be involved, please contact the Project Manager – Emily Sharp: emily.sharp@ramjo.nsw.gov.au