The flood wall at Flemington Racecourse raised water levels in at least 240 homes in Maribyrnong during the 2022 flood disaster, but the impacts were not significant enough to warrant demolition.
Melbourne Water's final report on the Maribyrnong River flood, which focused specifically on the impacts of the 2.4m wall at Flemington Racecourse, found it increased flood levels by 0.8 and three centimeters in some residential areas and extended its duration.
Flemington Racecourse's floodwall kept the track in pristine condition while homes in Maribyrnong flooded.Credit: Emma Johnston
The report, released Friday, concluded that some properties “very likely” flooded that would not have without the wall.
In the industrial parts of West Melbourne and Kensington, the flood level in October 2022 was six centimeters higher than it would have been had the wall not been built.
The review panel, chaired by Judge Tony Pagone, assessed the new modeling by technical consultants Jacobs and found that the flood level in several places significantly exceeded the centimeter considered a generally acceptable impact from a development.
The report noted that while an impact of more than one centimeter might be acceptable for projects of broad social benefit, the principle guiding the construction of the wall by the Victoria Racing Club in 2007 was that any adverse impact “must be identified and prevented”.
The type of damage that could have been caused by the flood wall includes destroyed furniture, baseboards, electrical work and loss of stock for businesses.
Melbourne Water managing director Dr Nerina Di Lorenzo said the wall's impact on homes, which were flooded by an average of 80 centimeters during the event, did not justify the need to tear it down.
