Your experience matters: Help Maitland build a stronger case for flood recovery support

Maitland City Council is urging the community to participate in a critical engagement initiative to support the city’s ongoing recovery following the May 2025 floods and enter the draw to win one of five emergency preparedness starter kits.

With Maitland officially declared a natural disaster area, Council is undertaking a citizen science-style exercise to collect lived experience data from those most affected. This information will help us better understand the true extent of local impacts, improve future planning and disaster response, and build a stronger case when advocating for external support and funding.

While many people have shared photos and stories on social media, Council says it needs more detailed and structured feedback to support real recovery.

“Posting a photo of your backyard is a start, but we need you to go a step further,” said General Manager Jeff Smith.

“By completing our short survey, you’ll help us build a clearer, more powerful picture of what our community has been through. That kind of evidence is essential when we’re asking for help on behalf of our community.”

“This process will strengthen our ability to request support on behalf of Maitland’s residents, workers and business owners.”

Three targeted surveys are now live on Council’s engagement platform, capturing insights from different perspectives of those directly impacted by the May 2025 event:

• Businesses – including changes to operating hours, structural damage, financial and staffing impacts, and ongoing disruptions.
• Households and individuals – with a focus on wellbeing, social and economic impacts, and levels of preparedness.
• Non-government organisations (NGOs) – including service delivery challenges and impacts on the people they support.

This engagement is part of ongoing efforts to improve how Maitland prepares for and responds to natural disasters, with these surveys forming the basis of a repeatable model for future events.

“Your input guides our local recovery from the May floods and helps us plan, prepare for and respond better to future events,” said Mr Smith.

It will also strengthen our case when advocating more effectively for the support Maitland needs and deserves.”

All survey respondents will go in the draw to win one of five emergency preparedness starter kits to help households get ready for future events.