Newell Highway Flood Mitigation - West Wyalong to Forbes

For the latest news on the Newell Highway Flood Mitigation – West Wyalong to Forbes project including confirmed funding commitments, field investigations at Marsden and project next steps, view the December 2023 Community Update. (PDF, 1.45 MB)

Further biodiversity studies including targeted threatened species surveys will be carried out to inform the design of the Newell Highway Flood Mitigation – West Wyalong to Forbes project. 

View the project notification letter (PDF, 338.38 KB)for more information.

Transport for NSW (Transport) is investigating potential flood mitigation solutions for the Newell Highway between Compton Road, West Wyalong and Hereford Street, Forbes.

The Newell Highway is prone to flooding between West Wyalong and Forbes and has a history of road closures during periods of heavy rain in the Lachlan catchment.

From late October 2022, the highway was closed for seven weeks when around 20 kilometres of this section was flooded. From September 2016, the highway was closed for six weeks due to flooding.

Comprehensive flood studies have found the Newell Highway between West Wyalong and Forbes is particularly susceptible to flooding by the Lake Cowal/Bland Creek catchment at Marsden.

Studies have also identified which causeways across the highway flooded first in 2022, stayed closed the longest, the depth of water at each and the susceptibility of the pavement to damage caused by the floodwaters.

On the basis of these studies, Transport is investigating around 11 kilometres of flood mitigation treatments at Marsden as this will significantly reduce the length of time the highway is closed during and after any future flood events.

Proposed treatments include installing box culverts (small bridges) to allow water to pass freely under the highway, raising the road level and laying a more robust pavement that would allow the road to remain open to traffic for longer during flood events.

The primary objective of the project is to reduce the amount of time the Newell Highway is closed between West Wyalong and Forbes during and after flood events.

The next phase of the project involves the preparation of the concept design and the Review of Environmental Factors (REF).

Transport recognises that flood mitigation treatments can alter the local environment and we will be carefully considering all potential impacts of the project through our environmental assessment process. We will actively look at ways to reduce the impact of the upgrade on the community, stakeholders and the environment.

Once prepared, both the concept design and the REF will be displayed for public comment.

We will continue to keep the community informed as the project progresses.

• December 2023 community update  (PDF, 1.45 MB)
  Newell Highway Flood Mitigation – West Wyalong to Forbes
• December 2023 project notification  (PDF, 338.38 KB)
  Further biodiversity studies on the Newell Highway at Marsden from Monday 15 January
• November 2023 project notification  (PDF, 228.8 KB)
  Culvert cleaning and further investigation work on the Newell Highway at Marsden from Monday 27 November
• November 2023 project notification (PDF, 200.27 KB)
  Field investigations on Newell Highway at Marsden from Monday 6 November
• June 2023 community update (PDF, 932.3 KB)
  Newell Highway Flood Mitigation – West Wyalong to Forbes
• June 2023 survey (PDF, 749.66 KB)
  Newell Highway Flood Mitigation – West Wyalong to Forbes
• September 2021 project update (PDF, 614.1 KB)

  Newell Highway Flood Immunity, West Wyalong to Forbes

• October 2023 Strategic Options Consultation Report (PDF, 2.6 MB)

  Newell Highway Flood Mitigation - West Wyalong to Forbes

• June 2021 Preliminary Environmental Investigation (PDF, 37.78 MB)
  Newell Highway - West Wyalong to Forbes Flood Immunity Project

• 20 June 2023
  Focus on Marsden for Newell Highway flood mitigation program.
• 10 January 2023
  Boosting Newell Highway flood mitigation south of Forbes.
• 10 August 2021

  Major step taken in Newell Highway flood immunity project.

• 28 February 2019 
  Funding to flow for a flood-free Newell