One of the prime people behind Grantham's post-flood move to higher ground says he is prepared to help Lismore on NSW's North Coast navigate the same path.
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Environmental Engineer Jamie Simmonds said even though Grantham in Queensland's Lockyer Valley region involved moving 100 residents and Lismore's flood prone homes number 1000, it was the "same problem just a bigger number".
The American-born Australian resident's work in helping relocate Grantham after the devastating 2011 floods has made him a world leader in disaster recovery.
His book, Rising From The Flood: Moving The Town of Grantham, has become the textbook for how to save flood-prone communities.
When the ACM tracked him down, Mr Simmonds had just given a talk in Washington and was taking a well-earned break travelling around the United States in a motorhome with his family.
Mr Simmonds said he'd be "happy" to provide Lismore with some advice if someone wanted to contact him.
"If someone needs me, just call me I'd be happy to give free advice," he said.
"I'd be happy to help, up to a point, I'm sure you have got 1000 cooks in the kitchen there.
"If the mayor wants to give me a call, I will give him as much time as he needs."
Indeed it was the Lockyer Valley Mayor Steve Jones (now deceased) who first approached Mr Simmonds to help with the Grantham relocation.
From floods in January 2011, to the first ballot for land swaps in August, to the first residents moving into a new estate on higher ground, only took 11 months .
This incredible feat was driven by the community and council and done with a high degree of assistance from governments, banks, insurance companies and builders.
Mr Simmonds said momentum was the key and making a start before you had even worked out every step of the process.
"This can't be decided by people living in Sydney," he said.
"This has to be the community and the mayor going down to Sydney and telling them this is what we want.
"It doesn't take much to win people over. All you need is a little hope."
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Mr Simmonds said the model used in Grantham was for land swaps rather than buy backs.
"We were against buy backs because basically you are paying someone to leave and what you are left with is land that is pretty useless," he said.
"It breaks up the community and lots of people leave."
"People who don't have insurance need to get help either through the millions of dollars that have been donated to various flood funds or the government has to step in and assist the uninsured.
"Even though things are bad right now, there is plenty of opportunity for people if they are willing to get onboard."
Although admitting he is no expert, Simmonds doesn't support government backed flood insurance schemes.
"It doesn't make sense for the government to underwrite a scheme and yet the risk remains," he said.
Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said he would definitely "feel" Simmonds out.
I'm a media professional with over 34 years of experience in public relations and journalism, including a decade setting Lismore's news agenda as the editor of The Northern Star. I have proven track record in growing audiences and improving engagement by delivering quality local stories for and about the Lismore community.
I'm a media professional with over 34 years of experience in public relations and journalism, including a decade setting Lismore's news agenda as the editor of The Northern Star. I have proven track record in growing audiences and improving engagement by delivering quality local stories for and about the Lismore community.
