Kempsey Shire Flood update #5
Published on 22 May 2025
Update as of 12.30pm 22 May 2025
At 10.58am on Thursday 22 May, the Bureau of Meteorology issued Moderate to Major Flood Warning #9 for the Macleay River at Georges Creek, Bellbrook, Kempsey and Smithtown.
Major flooding occurring at Kempsey and possible at Smithtown from early Thursday afternoon.
Moderate flooding continues at Georges Creek and Bellbrook.
The most current warning is available at http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/flood/macleayriver.shtml
A Severe Weather Warning remains in place for the Macleay River catchment.
You can view the latest warnings at: www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/index.shtml
The Macleay River has reached 6.97m at the Kempsey Traffic Bridge and 4.17m at Smithtown, impacting residences and businesses. Additional rainfall forecast for today may result in further river rises.
The Broughton Street and Eden Street levees have overtopped.
There is a small amount of clearance remaining at the Kempsey RSL levee, next to the traffic bridge however water is still entering the CBD.
Belgrave Street is now CLOSED and access is restricted to essential travel across the Kempsey Traffic Bridge.
Levee overtopping is also occurring at Smithtown.
Water continues is moving under the railway line and across Kemp Street and Cochrane Street, flowing west towards the rear of the hospital and cemetery.
Parts of the Lower Macleay remain isolated due to flooding on key access routes. It is expected that these communities will remain isolated over the coming days.
Please follow NSW SES Macleay Valley's Facebook page and visit https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/ for the latest warnings, advice and information from the NSW SES.
Please follow all official advice and do not drive through floodwaters.
RIVER LEVELS AND TRENDS
Please refer below for current river level trends:
Georges Creek – 9.08m at 6:30am Steady at 9.07m at 11:00am
Bellbrook – 10.64m at 6.37am Steady at 10.55m at 11:12am
Toorooka – 10.66m at 6:32am Steady at 10.78m at 11:05am
Turners Flat – 10.77m at 6:00am Rising to 11.26m at 11:00am
Sherwood Bridge – 11.58m at 4:37am Rising to 12.20m at 11:32am
Kempsey Traffic Bridge – 6.85m at 6.36am Rising to 6.97m at 11:03am
Smithtown – 4.16m at 6:30am Steady at 4.17m at 11:00am
DRIVING CONDITIONS
Please do not take unnecessary risks and never attempt to drive through floodwaters.
Council resources are currently stretched, and staff are unable to inspect all roads across the shire. There may be WATER OVER THE ROAD in several locations.
Flood damage to roads, bridges and drainage infrastructure may be present in multiple locations.
BRIDGES
Bellbrook Bridge is CLOSED
Toorooka Bridge is CLOSED
Temagog Bridge is CLOSED
Turners Flat Bridge is CLOSED
Sherwood Bridge is CLOSED
Dungay Creek Causeway is CLOSED
Dowlings Falls Causeway is CLOSED
ROADS
Armidale Road, west of Willawarrin is CLOSED
Belgrave Street is CLOSED. Access across Kempsey Traffic Bridge restricted to essential travel.
Belmore River Road (Left and Right Bank) is CLOSED
Bloomfield Street from the railway line to New Street is CLOSED
Cameron Street from Bestic Street to Cochrane Street is CLOSED
Cochrane Street between Cameron Street and the Williamson Bros Depot is CLOSED
Collombatti Road at the Tea Tree Farm is CLOSED
Crescent Head Road at Rudders Lagoon is CLOSED
Crescent Head Road at the Corduroy is CLOSED
Eden Street between Sydney Street and Kemp Street is CLOSED
Euroka Road at Theresa Street is CLOSED
First Lane is CLOSED
Gladstone Street Underpass is CLOSED
Gowings Hills Road near Marys Bay Road is CLOSED
Hat Head Road is CLOSED
Kemp Street between North Street and Prior Circuit is CLOSED
Kemp Street between Wide Street and Broughton Street is CLOSED
Kinchela Creek Road (Left and Right Bank) is CLOSED
Loftus Road is CLOSED
Macleay Valley Way from Kempsey to Frederickton is CLOSED
Macleay Valley Way from Frederickton Interchange and Plummers Lane is CLOSED
Maria River Road is CLOSED
Marys Bay Road is CLOSED
Old Aerodrome Road is CLOSED
Old Station Road is CLOSED
Plummers Lane is CLOSED
Queen Street at the Causeway is CLOSED
Saleyards Road is CLOSED
Sea Street (below the showground) is CLOSED
Second Lane is CLOSED
Sherwood Road between Armidale Road and Ronella Drive is CLOSED
Smithtown Road is CLOSED
South West Rocks Road is CLOSED
Spooners Avenue, approx. 2km from the River Street turn-off is CLOSED
Stuarts Street between Forth Street and Smith Street is CLOSED
Summer Island Road is CLOSED
Sutherlands Lane is CLOSED
Tabrett Street at Bestic Street to Cochrane Street is CLOSED
Verge Street (Coles Complex) is CLOSED
Wide Street, between Sea Street and Kemp Street is CLOSED
Willi Willi Road at McCoys Bridge is CLOSED
Key routes including Crescent Head Road, Loftus Road, Belmore River Road, South West Rocks Road, Hat Head Road, Smithtown Road, Macleay Valley Way, Plummers Lane, and surrounding roads may remain CLOSED for some time.
Please note that conditions may change quickly.
Please do not take unnecessary risks and never drive through flood waters.
For live road and bridge conditions, please check https://www.livetraffic.com
STUARTS POINT
Council staff continue to monitor groundwater levels at Stuarts Point.
There is currently no operational need to control surface waters at Stuarts Point as a result of this event.
Should groundwater levels increase dramatically, or intense rainfall cause stormwater related concerns then further information will be provided and a response activated.
COUNCIL SERVICES
Customer Service Centre is CLOSED but phone lines are open, including the after hours service. Customer Service can be reached on 02 6566 3200.
Kempsey and Stuarts Point libraries are CLOSED
South West Rocks library is OPEN.
The Waste Management Centre (Crescent Head Road) and all Waste Transfer Stations in Kempsey Shire are closed.
Kerbside bin collections may be delayed. If your bin hasn’t been collected, please leave it out or place it on the kerb when safe to do so and it will be picked up as soon as road access allows.
All sports fields across the shire remain closed.
The Slim Dusty Centre is closed.
Kempsey, South West Rocks and Crecent Head pools are CLOSED.
FLOOD MITIGATION
The flood relief gates at Kinchela Creek and Belmore River are OPEN.
The flood gates (crossover gates) at Kinchela Creek, Belmore River, Christmas Creek and Euroka Creek are CLOSED.
Ryans Cut and Big Hill ocean outlets are OPEN.
REPORT ISSUES
Call 6566 3200 or head to https://www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au/Your-Valley/Have-your-say/How-can-we-help
STAY INFORMED
For latest river heights, please head to http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDN60141.html#Macleay_River_to_Georges_Creek
Listen to your local ABC radio station which can be found at https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radio
Download the Hazards Near Me app and set your watch zones to get warning information for your areas.
Follow NSW SES & NSW SES Macleay Valley on social media or visit their website at www.ses.nsw.gov.au
Learn about your risk at www.ses.nsw.gov.au/knowyourrisk
Check latest weather, warnings, rainfall and river heights at www.bom.gov.au/nsw/
Check road closures at www.livetraffic.com or 132 701
For emergency assistance during a flood, storm or tsunami, call the NSW SES on 132 500.
In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
The next formal update will be provided at approximately 5:30pm on 22 May 2025, or as the situation changes.