Drainage maintenance

How can I protect my property from flooding? 

It’s the responsibility of property owners to look after stormwater drainage within their property boundary as well as the section of drains from their property to the legal point of discharge. The legal point of discharge is the point in which private drainage connects to the Shire’s or other responsible authority’s drainage system.

It is a good idea at the start of wet season, or when a weather event is expected to clear any gutters and check for obvious blockages of drainage infrastructure. Please do not attempt to lift any drainage pit lids - they are very heavy and can be dangerous and difficult to put back.

For more information, visit: SES | Flood - plan and stay safe

What is the Shire doing to maintain our drains?

We have a proactive maintenance program where we regularly clear drains to help water flow from the road into stormwater drains or nearby paddocks or creeks. This helps to keep the roads safe and in good condition. Our crews are responsible for clearing blockages and repairing damage, not to build new drains. New drainage systems are generally quite costly and require engineering and strategic planning. We nominate areas that experience flooding for prioritisation and consideration for upgrade projects.

For more information, see our Flood and Stormwater Strategy below.

Can I request my drains to be cleared?

Yes, if a drain near your house or in a public area is Shire-owned you can report a drainage issue. We maintain these types of drains:

• Pits and pipes – traditional drainage infrastructure that catches runoff through pits and feeds it into a network of pipes
• Culverts under roads – a tunnel structure under a road that lets water drain instead of pooling (culverts under driveways are the responsibility of the property owner)
• Soak pits – mostly found in sandy areas on the southern peninsula, these are large underground structures that store water until it soaks into the soil below
• Open drains and table drains – open channels parallel to roads mostly in residential and rural areas used to catch and direct runoff downhill

Use the drainage map above to see who's responsible for your drain.

I can still see vegetation in the drains after it’s been cleared

Often open drains and table drains on roadsides will have grass and vegetation remaining. This can actually be beneficial to slow down the flow of water and collect soil and street litter before it reaches creeks or the bays.

Who looks after driveway culverts?

Driveway culverts are used to carry water underground from one side of your driveway to the other and are the responsibility of the property owner(s). This includes installation, replacement, or clearance. The Shire may assist in driveway culvert clearance if the blockage is affecting Shire property.

Flooding presents a large risk to our Peninsula and although flooding is a natural phenomenon, factors such as climate change, urbanisation, and drainage design can help reduce this risk.

Our Flood and Stormwater Strategy offers the use and development of different tools and projects to strengthen our resilience to flooding.

You can read it here: Flood and Stormwater Strategy