After three months of inundation by floodwater Nyngan has kicked off the new year free of mud and debris – and ready for the first “normal” January in five years. 

The back-to-back impacts of severe drought, COVID-19 travel restrictions, and ongoing flooding took its toll on the western NSW community which typically spends summer on and around the Bogan River. 

The start of 2023 has brought renewed optimism as river finally recedes back within its banks, the flood delayed harvest winds up, and the tourists arrive for the peak water-skiing month. 

Owner of the Nyngan Riverside Tourist Park, which experienced significant flooding between September and December, Emily Stanton said it was back to “usual operations” just in time for its busiest time of the year. 

Mrs Stanton said it was the first “normal” January in four years following the drought (which rendered the river too dry for water skiing) and COVID-19 travel restrictions.  

“We finished the flood clean up and repairs three days before Christmas,” she said. 

“There’s lots of January bookings – actually we are booked for the entire month with water skiiers and harvest workers.” 

Bogan Shire Council staff spent the final weeks of 2022 cleaning mud and debris from parks and pathways as the Bogan River finally receded within its banks. 

Nyngan Water Ski Club were finally able to call for membership renewals towards the end of December 2022. IMAGE: NWSC facebook

This week Council staff have pressed go on new works and have begun installing drinking water fountains along the new walking path network which has been constructed over the past four years around Nyngan using NSW Government grant funding. 

Much of these pathways were under water between September and December, along with Rotary and Jack Hargreaves parks. 

Bogan Shire General Manager Derek Francis said Council had submitted a program of works to the Local Government Recovery Grants program to receive funding for disaster recovery. 

Bogan Shire Council was eligible to receive an upfront payment of one million dollars to be used for immediate recovery activities and to help build community resilience for future extreme climatic events. 

Mr Francis said projects applied for include extensions to the stormwater pump network (more permanent drainage pumps); repairs to the access to the weir and river pump stations; improvements to drainage; the purchase of a large portable pump for emergency work; and the restoration of Rotary Park, Jack Hargreaves Park, and around the lower weir pool. 

“There are strict guidelines as to what this disaster recovery funding can be used for, but Council is continuing to work on the restoration of assets right around the Shire, especially the road network which has sustained extensive damage from the recent flooding,” Mr Francis said. 

Bogan Shire Works and Services manager Trevor Waterhouse said considering the amount of flooding, the structural damage within the Nyngan levee was minimal.   

“There were some fallen trees across the paths and a few missing bollards. Staff used pressure cleaners to remove mud and debris from the pathways and fixed equipment and we’ve had some summer storms over Christmas which has helped restore the grassed areas to how they were,” he said. 

Nyngan's golf course spent many weeks underwater. IMAGE SUPPLIED.

The Nyngan Golf Club has also benefitted from storm rain to help refresh the 18-hole course which was completely inundated for nine weeks.  

Regular competition has been able to re-commence to enable the Club to re-coup some of its lost income from the closure of the course during its busy Twilight competition period. 

Golf Club president David “Croc” Read estimated the Club missed out on around $50,000 income due to the flooding.