By Qaima Chatha
Four years ago on Friday the 14th of October, out-of-the-ordinary rainfall caused one of the largest floods ever recorded in the Maribyrnong River.
When the river broke its banks, the floodwaters didn’t merely swallow homes and streets, they exposed many vulnerabilities in the systems meant to protect Melbourne’s west. The result was devastating – more than 500 properties damaged, hundreds of residents displaced and entire neighborhoods were left gripping with trauma and financial strain, a process which for many still hasn’t ended.
In the months that followed the disaster, residents were left stranded and the disaster response was ‘painfully slow’. For many households, the warning to evacuate came too late. Others were shocked as they returned to their homes filled with mud and the ever-present uncertainty only to come face to face with skyrocketing insurance premiums. For these families already navigating the pressures of cost of living, these floods became a huge tipping point.
A major community-led report released in 2024 captured these experiences in stark detail. From the emotional toll to the feeling of being forgotten once the water receded, migrant women and elderly residents were disproportionately affected.
In response to the community pressure Melbourne Water launched a multi-phase flood-management review. Residents were clear about their priorities: protect homes first, improve early warning systems and ensure that future planning respects the ecological significance of the river. In a long‑awaited step forward, the federal government has now committed $700,000 to accelerate the next phase of the Maribyrnong flood‑mitigation plan. This funding aims to strengthen early‑warning systems, improve evacuation modelling, and support the technical work needed to prevent a repeat of the 2022 disaster. For many residents, the announcement feels like overdue recognition of the trauma and uncertainty the community has carried for more than three years. The investment, while modest compared to the scale of the damage, signals a renewed willingness to address the systemic gaps exposed by the floods and offers a glimmer of reassurance that the west is finally being heard.
Perhaps the most important lesson from the Maribyrnong floods is that resilience cannot be left to individual households. It must be built into the tapestry of systems that govern planning, insurance, emergency response, and community support. Protecting our community from future disasters requires more than resilience – it requires accountability, investment, and a commitment to ensuring that what happened in 2022 never happens again.
