Disaster Ready Fund – Round Three 2025-2026
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About
On 17 November 2025, the Australian Government announced the successful projects funded nationally across Australia through the $200 million Round three of the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF).
In Queensland, 18 projects approved are receiving more $51,855,897.08 in Commonwealth funding to support disaster risk reduction, including one Queensland project to be delivered across the nation with approved Commonwealth funding of $8,383,989.
Status
The DRF Round Three 2025-26 program is in delivery.
Successful projects
List of Queensland's successful DRF Round 3 projects 2025-26:
| Project title | Recipient Name | Location | Description | Commonwealth funding | Co-contribution | Total project cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kowanyama Hub | Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council | Kowanyama | This project will construct the Kowanyama Hub, a multipurpose Disaster Coordination Centre to effectively and efficiently coordinate disaster management and emergency service operations. When no disaster coordination, the Hub, will operate as an Indigenous Knowledge Centre, to co-ordinate a range of programs and activities that support the documentation and preservation of Indigenous languages and culture. | $8,203,500 | $911,500 | $9,115,000 |
| Coast Road resilience upgrade | Gladstone Regional Council | Gladstone | The project will upgrade 3.8 kilometres of low-lying Coast Road in Baffle Creek to improve flood resilience. Works include raising road levels, installing new culverts, and improving drainage and safety features. Once complete, the road will remain accessible during flood events, reducing isolation for residents, supporting emergency access, and enhancing community safety, wellbeing and resilience. | $5,239,328 | $5,239,328 | $10,478,656 |
| Preparing for and responding to emergencies for people with communication disability | The University of Queensland | Queensland - All | Communication-accessible disaster preparedness workshops, forums and an all-hazards toolkit will be co-designed and delivered, immediately increasing disaster preparedness for 275 Queenslanders with communication disability and increasing the long-term capacity of Emergency Services, local councils and community organisations to communicate effectively with people with communication disability in future disasters. | $272,455 | $127,795 | $400,250 |
| Bedourie flood levee enhancements | Diamantina Shire Council | Diamantina | The project aims to improve the existing flood protection system in Bedourie by addressing critical structural issues. It is a proactive disaster risk reduction initiative designed to strengthen the town's flood resilience, improve emergency preparedness, and mitigate the adverse impacts of flooding. Without funding, the community remains exposed to severe flood impacts, risking economic losses and service disruption. | $1,108,071 | $123,119 | $1,231,190 |
| Rockhampton Airport temporary barrier project | Rockhampton Regional Council | Rockhampton | This project will deliver a temporary flood barrier that can be deployed to provide adequate flood protection at the Rockhampton Airport Terminal. | $1,145,045 | $1,145,045 | $2,290,090 |
| Cloncurry Shire Council Eastern Drainage Stage 5 Project | Cloncurry Shire Council | Cloncurry | The Eastern Drainage Stage 5 project will deliver the final stage of flood mitigation works through the eastern drainage division of the Cloncurry Township. This includes up-stream diversion works that will both reduce the flow of water into low lying areas along McIlwraith, Miles and Dutton Streets and channel this into drainage infrastructure developed and delivered through previous stages of this project. | $2,687,889 | $534,000 | $3,221,889 |
| Murweh Shire Council Local Disaster Coordination Centre Relocation & Refurbishment Project | Murweh Shire Council | Murweh | Council seeks funding to develop a specialised Local Disaster Coordination Centre to improve the disaster management capabilities. The enhanced facility will be located at a flood-free site in the Airport Precinct, repurposing the former Charleville Weather Station. This project will enhance disaster preparedness improve the coordination of emergency response operations and support critical communications. | $474,418 | $67,712 | $542,130 |
| Mareeba - place of refuge | Mareeba Shire Council | Mareeba | This project upgrades the Cedric Davies Community Hub to a place of refuge by installing Crimsafe screens to windows, cyclone-proof doors, kitchen upgrade including appliances, refurbish toilets and amenities, new disability toilet, cleaners' cupboard, install back-up generator with concrete apron and roof. This will strengthen the local economy, improve disaster response, ensure community safety and social inclusion. | $252,250 | $252,250 | $504,500 |
| Burketown multipurpose emergency evacuation and emergency coordination centre | Burke Shire Council | Burke | The project covers the detailed planning, design and documentation of an emergency evacuation centre and disaster coordination centre. The facility will provide a place of refuge for the community and be designed to:
| $414,000 | $90,000 | $504,000 |
| Disaster Resilience Builder for Business | Business Chamber Queensland | Queensland - All | The Business Chamber Queensland's Disaster Resilience Builder for Business will provide a curated pathway to build business capability. Starting with disaster readiness assessment (governance, climate risk, continuity planning, resource management, testing, communication, and improvement), followed by modules on risk assessment, business continuity and recovery, with supporting information, tools and coaching. | $3,245,798 | $921,500 | $4,167,298 |
| Culturally Inclusive Disaster Planning and Exercising Project | Queensland Police Service | Queensland - All | Working collaboratively with First Nations peoples on Country, the project will scope how traditional, cultural, and local knowledge, practices, and language will be incorporated into Local Disaster Management Plans and disaster management practices. This collaboration with local communities will gather and document generational knowledge. | $739,000 | $1,505,000 | $2,244,000 |
| Balonne emergency mobile generators | Balonne Shire Council | Balonne | Council seeking to purchase 4 x 45kVA generators mounted on steel trailers with changeover switches to enable community continuity during disasters which affect the power supply therefore water and sewerage. The generators will be on standby across the seven towns in our LGA. During events, when there are power outages, Council will have the ability to deliver essential services including water and sewerage through their use. | $270,000 | $30,000 | $300,000 |
| Palm Island cyclone shelter | Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council | Palm Island | Construct an up to 800 person cyclone shelter (to be used as an evacuation centre and/or community hall) to serve the 4,000 plus residents on Palm Island. It will improve disaster preparedness and response actions, reduce disaster risks, improve community resilience during and post disaster events, and make a substantial contribution to community safety and wellbeing. | $14,620,000 | $2,515,000 | $17,135,000 |
| Enhanced flood intelligence and warning systems | Townsville City Council | Townsville | This is a three-year program aimed at improving the collection, analysis, and distribution of flood intelligence. It will include upgrades to the existing flood warning infrastructure, the addition of new infrastructure, a review of mapping products based on the latest flood studies, and the implementation of automated warnings and alerts for the community. | $985,000 | $985,000 | $1,970,000 |
| Queensland Flood Forecast & Warning System | Transport and Main Roads | Queensland - All | A Queensland Flood Forecast and Warning System (QFFWS) will provide road authorities with advanced notification of when and how road assets and associated infrastructure will be impacted by flooding events. Additionally, the system will also calculate receding waters so that appropriate inspectors can re-open roads/bridges after inundation has occurred. | $2,850,000 | $2,950,000 | $5,800,000 |
| Resilient Construct of Mt Berryman Floodway | Lockyer Valley Regional Council | Lockyer Valley | The current floodway is at the end of life, exhibiting significant failures and becoming increasingly susceptible to damage. The new floodway will be more resilient to inundation and will be widened to “future-proof” the floodway for two-way operation. | $575,000 | $575,000 | $1,150,000 |
| National Get Ready | Queensland Reconstruction Authority | Tasmania - All, Queensland - All, South Australia - All, New South Wales - All, Northern Territory - All, Victoria - All, Western Australia - All | The project will build preparedness for all Australians. Building on the successful Get Ready Queensland model, this project establishes the National Get Ready program as a strategic and measured approach to community preparedness in Australia. The project will deliver a National Get Ready Framework, governance, and resource sharing arrangements at a national level, but locally tailored. | $8,383,989 | $19,495,200 | $27,879,189 |
| South Mission Beach Flood Resilience Project | Cassowary Coast River Improvement Trust | Cassowary Coast | Enhance flood protection in South Mission Beach by expanding open channel drainage and removing bunds that obstruct flow, halving the five-year flood extent, lower flood depths below floor height, and reduce flood risk for 250 properties. Suitable excavated material will support coastal revegetation, reinforcing natural buffers against storm surges and erosion. | $390,154 | $109,846 | $500,000 |
Media statements
(External link: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/KristyMcBain/Pages/communities-receive-200m-to-get-disaster-ready.aspx)
More information
External link to https://www.nema.gov.au/our-work/key-programs/disaster-ready-fund#RoundThree)
Contact
If you have any questions or need support with your application please email disasterreadyfund@qra.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 17 June 2026. QRA Reference: DOC/26/32744