New closure procedures for Greenpatch Campground in Gordonvale

MEDIA RELEASE

Published: 26th July 2023. (Note: information was correct at date of publication but may have since been changed or superseded.)

Council will adopt a risk based pre-emptive closure procedure for the Greenpatch Campground in Gordonvale.

The campground is on the Mulgrave River floodplain with identified flood risks from Hemmings Creek and the Mulgrave River.

Under the Greenpatch Flood Emergency Evacuation Action Plan (FEEAP), implanted in January 2020, the park was closed from December to May based on higher probability of flood risks during the wet season.

Since the facilities redevelopment and opening in 2019, Council has trialled several options of operation to keep the campground open as long as possible.

Combined with four years of flood data and the learnings from several evacuations, Council has removed defined park closure dates.

A risk-based approach to closures will be adopted, based on Bureau of Meteorology intelligence, observed weather conditions and forecasts, advice from key stakeholders (such as the Local Disaster Management Group) and capacity of Council staff to respond to an emergency event.

Last Updated: 26 July 2023