A community-led Regional Drought Resilience Plan can move forward and be activated now that it has the backing of the Australian Government. Parkes Shire Council, in partnership with Forbes and Lachlan shire councils, have successfully secured funding under the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program, jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the NSW Government. The money will allow the plan, prepared by the consortium of three councils, to move into the implementation stage. And one of the first actions required through the grant is to recruit an officer to coordinate the delivery of the projects within the plan across the region. The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program requires councils to work at a regional scale to think about drought resilience beyond water security, considering environmental and social resilience needs. The plan for Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan shires was developed through stakeholder engagement across the region. The second stage of the program, the implementation stage, focuses on delivering key projects identified. The councils said a number of plans and strategies relevant to all three LGAs were identified and submitted for consideration as part of the grant application process. The drought resilience plan is available online via the Australian Government website: Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Regional Drought Resilience Plan. The following projects are now well underway to be finished by the funding body deadline of November: • Urban heat mapping: This project will use tree canopy data, aerial imaging and heat mapping to identify priority areas across the three LGAs for future urban greening and cooling measures that will help protect communities in times of drought. • Drought asset and action plans: Each council will develop a plan identifying public assets that serve as community gathering spaces during drought. These plans will also address facility and equipment upgrades, prioritise rainwater-reliant localities, and identify public shower and laundry access points, along with green respite spaces. • Drought management plan for key recreational water bodies: This project will focus on key water bodies across the region, outlining current recreational uses and water management challenges, and setting resilience and adaptation objectives to maintain or improve these conditions during drought. • Drought operational plan for Forbes Livestock Exchange: Recognising the importance of the Exchange to all three LGAs during extended drought periods, this plan will guide operations and potential upgrades to better support drought-affected stock movements. Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program acknowledges that each region in NSW is different and requires its own approach to have a real impact. “We know drought is challenging, so we want our communities to be prepared and ready to act with plans in place,” she said. “Having community-led Regional Drought Resilience Plans that take into account each region’s unique needs, is allowing these communities to build meaningful plans that will make a big difference.” Parkes Shire Council’s Manager of Environment and Sustainability Michael Chambers welcomed the funding. "This funding will allow Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan shire councils to more readily implement actions and programs to help our communities during times of drought, while assisting us to build capacity to plan and act early to reduce, manage and respond to drought-related risks.”
