Work to restore the flood damaged drainage network at Cornwallis and rebuild the missing section of Cornwallis Road is now complete.
Led by Hawkesbury City Council, in partnership with NSW Public Works, the restoration of the drainage network and levee delivers robust and resilient protection for landowners along this low-lying and flood-prone section of the Hawkesbury River.
The $11 million project was jointly funded by the Federal and NSW governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The initial damage at Cornwallis was caused by the March 2021 flood in the Hawkesbury River, with the 1970s drainage system failing because of the severe flooding event.
As repair works to the drain were about to start, subsequent flooding in 2022 caused further erosion and the breaching of the riverbank, resulting in a small bay forming. An 180-metre section of Cornwallis Road was also lost, necessitating a full redesign and significant expansion of repair plans.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority, Transport for NSW, NSW Public Works, and the EPA have worked alongside Hawkesbury City Council and local landholders to design a resilient and effective drain repair and road restoration.
Even as works were underway, the site has been inundated by minor floodwaters on five occasions, including in the May 2025 flooding event.
To rebuild the damaged network it took:
- 232 precast 2.4m x 2.4m concrete stormwater box culverts
- 2,880 tonnes of concrete
- 25 kilometres of steel reinforcing bar
- 15,000 tonnes of sandstone foundation boulders and
- 28,000m3 of backfill
- 2 tonne steel floodgates.
Two hundred and fifty metres of Cornwallis Road was also reconstructed to return the road to its original state.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain:
“This project is a great example of how we can all work together to address long-term issues for communities at risk of the impacts of severe weather.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone involved with this project on this incredible milestone.”
NSW Minister for Roads and Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison:
“The Minns and Albanese Labor Governments are proud to have delivered this project for the people of the Hawkesbury.
“For far too long, residents have been forced to take lengthy detours, sometimes adding half an hour or more to their daily journeys. Completing this project restores a safer, faster and more reliable connection for Hawkesbury communities.
“Reconnecting a critical road link that families, workers and local businesses depend on.”
NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin:
“After enduring repeated and destructive floods, the people of the Hawkesbury deserve solutions that strengthen their resilience for the long term. This project is a testament to what collaboration across government can achieve when we put communities at the heart of our work.
“Even with minor flooding occurring during construction, the teams pushed through to deliver a solution the community can rely on – one that will better protect them and offer peace of mind for years to come.”
the Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman:
“This damage had a profound impact on local turf growers and farmers more than anyone else, and I advocated from the start for them to have full access restored.
“Finally, they’ll be able to travel to and between their properties without a detour and I celebrate that outcome with them.”
Hawkesbury City Council Mayor Les Sheather:
“Reconstructing the Cornwallis drain network and road has been a challenging and technically complex project, made all the more difficult with repeated flooding over the past five years.
“What has been achieved though is a resilient safeguard against future flooding.
“I thank local residents and businesses for their patience during what has been an unimaginably challenging five years; as well as NSW Reconstruction Authority, Transport for NSW, NSW Public Works and the NSW EPA for their collaboration in making this important project happen.”