Client: Gannawarra Shire Council
📍 Location: Loddon Murray region, Victoria
📅 Project Start: 2023
🔹 Project Type: DRFA Reconstruction Works Project Management
The Challenge: Restoring Flood-Damaged Roads—Fast
In October 2022, severe flooding devastated roads, bridges, and culverts across Gannawarra Shire, a key agricultural region along the Murray River in Victoria. Like many councils across regional Australia, Gannawarra faced the challenge of restoring critical infrastructure quickly while navigating the complexities of Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Delays in submission approvals had left many regional councils waiting for funding, with some now extended until EOFY 2026. Gannawarra Shire Council engaged SHEPHERD’s Civil & Disaster Recovery team to ensure fast, accurate, and defensible recovery work—getting roads restored a full year ahead of the Reconstruction Works extended timeframe of 30 June 2026.
The Solution: DRFA Project Management & Tech-Enabled Recovery
SHEPHERD, led by Regional Project Manager Jonathan Walmsley, partnered with Gannawarra Shire Council to streamline and accelerate the reconstruction process. Our scope included:
✅ Project Management of Reconstruction Works
✅ Reviewing & Revising DRFA Submission Packages with updated contractor rates
✅ Onsite Quality Assurance (QA) & Documentation of Works in Progress
✅ Completion Reporting & Submission Acquittals to fast-track funding
📡 Smart Solutions for Faster Recovery
Using SHEPHERD’s CEO Dashboard & Fulcrum App, Council can:
🔹 Track DRFA work locations to streamline operations
🔹 Eliminate overlapping work & improve programming
🔹 Respond to customer inquiries faster
🔹 Use RACAS® to capture completed roads for pre-condition evidence—putting them ahead for future funding
The Results: A Faster Road to Recovery for Gannawarra
📅 Recovery Completed by EOFY 2025—a full year ahead of schedule compared to other regional councils.
📸 Comprehensive Photographic Records of completed works, ensuring DRFA compliance and faster future funding approvals.
📍 Custom-Built Fulcrum App loaded with Gannawarra’s digital road network & Victorian DRFA standard treatments—providing a long-term solution for rapid disaster damage assessments.
🤝 Partnering with Emergency Recovery Victoria ensured funding and recovery efforts were optimised, helping the community rebuild smarter and faster.
Why It Matters
Gannawarra Shire’s agriculture-based economy and regional communities depend on reliable infrastructure. By accelerating recovery efforts, SHEPHERD helped restore safe road access ahead of schedule—minimising disruption to local businesses and residents.
For councils navigating disaster recovery, speed and accuracy matter. With SHEPHERD’s expertise, cutting-edge tools, and strategic project management, Gannawarra Shire is set up for future resilience—ensuring roads remain safe and funding flows faster in future disaster events.
🚛 Faster Works. Smarter Recovery. Safer Roads.
