Kempsey Shire Flood update #16
Published on 26 May 2025
Kempsey Shire flood update as of 8.00am 26 May 2025
Council staff are monitoring South West Rocks Road, Smithtown Road, Macleay Valley Way and Plummers Lane. While some sections have reopened, floodwaters continue to cover parts of these roads and closures are still affecting access to several areas. Please take note of the updated closure list below.
Bridges upstream of Kempsey are expected to reopen throughout today. Turners Flat Bridge OPEN.
We appreciate your patience as staff continue to inspect roads, clear debris, carry out necessary repairs and formally reopen roads and structures.
Pumping is continuing in the CBD and is helping to lower water levels. Pumping will continue until floodwaters recede enough to allow roads to reopen.
Council staff are working to reopen parts of the Kempsey CBD where possible.
A formal detour has been implemented through the CBD to enable access from East Kempsey to West Kempsey via Belgrave Street, John Street, and Eden Street.
Please only use this route if necessary. Respect all road closures and be mindful of emergency services and recovery crews working throughout the area.
Council is preparing to open the middle lanes of Belgrave Street, as water is still over the outer lanes. Smith Street will also reopen shortly through to Geoffrey Debenham Street, near McDonalds. These changes are expected in the next hour.
Parts of the Central Kempsey CBD remain CLOSED. Please follow all road closures and do not drive past road closed signs.
DRIVING CONDITIONS
Please do not take unnecessary risks and never attempt to drive through floodwaters. There may be WATER OVER THE ROAD in several locations.
Flood damage to roads, bridges and drainage infrastructure may be present in multiple locations. Please exercise caution.
Check Live Traffic NSW or 131 701 for more road status information.
RIVER CROSSINGS
Bellbrook Bridge is CLOSED
Toorooka Bridge is CLOSED
Temagog Bridge is CLOSED
Turners Flat Bridge is OPEN
Sherwood Bridge is CLOSED
Dungay Creek Causeway is CLOSED
Dowlings Falls Causeway is CLOSED
ROADS
South West Rocks Road is CLOSED between Hat Head Road and Jerseyville.
Plummers Lane is CLOSED between the Macleay Valley Way and Summer Island Road.
Macleay Valley Way is CLOSED between Plummers Lane and Goulds Lane (Clybucca).
Macleay Valley Way is CLOSED between Kempsey and Frederickton.
Crescent Head Road at the Corduroy is CLOSED
Gladstone Street Underpass is CLOSED
Wide Street, Between Sea and Kemp Street is CLOSED
Euroka Road at Theresa Street is CLOSED
Old Aerodrome Road is CLOSED
Old Station Road is CLOSED
Sutherlands Lane is CLOSED
Willi Willi Road at McCoy’s Bridge is CLOSED
Saleyards Road is CLOSED
Verge Street (Coles Complex) is CLOSED
Stuarts Street between Forth Street and Smith Street is CLOSED
Kemp Street from Wide Street to Broughton Street is CLOSED
Kinchela Creek (Left and Right Bank) Roads are CLOSED
Belmore River (Left and Right Bank) Roads are CLOSED
Summer Island Road is CLOSED
First Lane is CLOSED
Maria River Road is CLOSED
Second Lane is CLOSED
Kemp Street from Wide Street to Broughton Street is CLOSED
Kemp Street from North Street to Prior Circuit is CLOSED
Bloomfield Street between the Railway line and New Street is CLOSED
Sea Street (Below the showgrounds) is CLOSED
Tabrett Street at Bestic Street to Cochrane Street is CLOSED
Moparrabah Road at Majors Bridge (Parrabel Creek) is CLOSED
Loftus Road at Ryans Cut is CLOSED (note this refers to the road, not the ocean outlet).
Parts of the Central Kempsey CBD remain CLOSED.
Closures are in place on Smith Street at the intersection of Belgrave Street and on Belgrave Street west of John Street.
Additionally, Belgrave Street is closed at the intersection of Verge Street.
While parts of key routes on the Lower Macleay are open, sections remain closed, impacting access to a number of areas.
This includes routes such as Crescent Head Road, Loftus Road, Belmore River Road, South West Rocks Road, Hat Head Road, Smithtown Road, Macleay Valley Way, Plummers Lane and other nearby roads. Please refer to the list above for specific road closure details and www.livetraffic.com.
Floodwaters can remain for an extended period of time over Crescent Head Road at the Corduroy and parts of Hat Head Road and Loftus Road. These roads are anticipated to be CLOSED over the coming days.
Reports of significant infrastructure damage are being identified by the public, emergency services and Council staff, please do not enter flood waters and abide by closures in place.
Further damage is likely to be identified as flood waters recede.
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
The Customer Service Centre will be CLOSED Monday 25 May. The phone centre will be open and can be reached on 02 6566 3200.
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 has not 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.
Kempsey Shire Libraries will remain CLOSED Monday 25 May.
Kempsey, South West Rocks and Crescent Head pools are CLOSED.
FLOOD MITIGATION
The flood relief gates at Belmore River are CLOSED.
The flood relief gates at Kinchela Creek 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
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
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 1.30pm on 26 May 2025, or as the situation changes.