The man who supervised the relocation of a town in Queensland says Lismore could be a model for the rest of the world in how to recover and rebuild from disasters.
Planning and development expert Jamie Simmonds visited Lismore today to share insights from his work as project director for Grantham's rebuild after its 2011 flood.
Mr Simmonds said Lismore had the opportunity to showcase a worldwide best practice model on how it could successfully relocate residents and protect the social fabric of the community.
"[US President] Joe Biden is crying out for communities just like this to be an example for him because he's got to relocate Miami," Mr Simmonds said.
"When [Lismore MP Janelle Saffin] can go around the country and around the world and say, 'This is what we did' … people want to hear that story."
Land swaps as a way to protect community
After Grantham was hit by disastrous flooding, the town's council purchased nearby farmland and a new housing estate was developed on higher ground.
Lismore residents have often mentioned Grantham as an example of what the city could do in its post-flood rebuild, although there are key differences: Grantham relocated fewer than 150 households, while thousands of homes across Lismore and the Northern Rivers were inundated.
The New South Wales government has announced an $800 million scheme that will include buyback offers for around 2,000 homes.
However, that differs from the land-swap strategy used in Grantham.
Mr Simmonds said it was decided that land swaps offered residents a greater incentive to stay within the existing community instead of moving away.
"The captain of the soccer team was still there, everybody's favourite teacher was still there, everybody's least favourite teacher was probably still there," he said.
"But you retain that community fabric, and that's the power of a land swap."
Residents on board
Mr Simmonds' visit included a meeting at the South Lismore home of Harper Dalton, who has advocated for home relocation and land swaps over several months.
"I've lived here my whole life and it's extremely important for Lismore to remain the beautiful place that it is," Mr Dalton said.
"I think it's the people who make the community, not the community that makes the people, so that's why it's so fundamentally important to keep people here."
Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said she was hoping to encourage the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation to consider a formalised land-swap arrangement in addition to buybacks, which were not included in the formal funding program.
"When I raised it, [CEO David Witherdin] said 'exceptional circumstances' and if I see a window open a little bit, I go through," she said.
"We may have many, many, many exceptional circumstances, so that's what I'm driving for as well."
