Community experiences of the 2022-2023 Australian floods - South Australia, Victoria and south-western New South Wales: final report

In response to the 2022-2023 floods in Victoria, South Australia (SA) and south-western New South Wales (NSW), Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre), in collaboration with key stakeholders initiated a comprehensive research project to better understand the diverse experiences of communities affected by the floods.

To address stakeholders’ interests and ensure a thorough and nuanced study of these experiences, the research was structured in three distinct but complementary Work Packages (WPs), each focusing on specific aspects of community experiences and led by different academic institutions.
This report synthesises the findings from all three Work Packages, offering a holistic understanding of the 2022-2023 flood events and their impact on diverse communities. By integrating quantitative data from WP1 and rich qualitative insights from WP2 and WP3, this report highlights the various ways in which communities experienced, responded to and recovered from the floods. It also underscores the importance of considering cultural, geographical and socio-economic factors in disasters preparedness, response and recovery efforts.

This report presents a summary of the findings from each of the three work packages followed by a summary of the findings within the cross-cutting research themes from across the multiple work packages.