Project: Civil and Disaster Recovery (DRFA)

Gympie Regional Council’s Rapid Disaster Recovery with RACAS®

The Challenge: Immediate Assessment for Funding & Recovery

In December, just before Christmas, Gympie Regional Council faced a major challenge: heavy rainfall had severely impacted its 2,300km road network. With an urgent need to assess road conditions and secure Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), time was of the essence.

Traditional road inspections would have taken weeks, delaying funding applications and road repairs. Council needed a solution that was fast, precise, and efficient to ensure roads were restored as quickly as possible for the community.

The Solution: RACAS® & SHEPHERD’s Rapid Response

SHEPHERD deployed its cutting-edge RACAS® technology to rapidly assess the road network, capturing critical data that would inform Council’s recovery strategy.

Key Actions Taken:

  • Speedy Deployment: RACAS® teams were on-site within days, working through the holiday season to ensure rapid data collection.
  • Extensive Coverage: The survey began with the 1,000km unsealed road network on December 20, completed by January 9, and was followed by a full assessment of the 2,300km sealed road network, completed by January 26.
  • Data-Driven Insights: RACAS® Inspectors captured 3,000 Points of Interest (POIs) in just six days. This dataset was handed over to SHEPHERD’s Civil and Disaster team for immediate categorization.
  • Smart Categorization: The team reviewed all 3,000 POIs in one day, identifying:
    • 700 Emergent Work locations requiring immediate intervention.
    • 2,000 sites as potential Immediate Reconstruction Works (IRW) or Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA).

The Results: Faster Recovery, Smarter Funding Applications

With RACAS®, Gympie Regional Council received: ✅ Comprehensive evidence of rain-impacted roads for funding applications.
✅ Pre and post-event imagery to strengthen funding claims.
✅ GPS-located damage reports, allowing for precise interventions.
✅ Faster hazard mitigation, ensuring public safety.
✅ Priority in funding applications, getting ahead in the queue.

Community Benefits: Safer Roads, Faster Recovery

The impact of this rapid response extended beyond assessments:

  • Faster restoration of critical road infrastructure for residents.
  • Improved safety for motorists, with quicker hazard identification.
  • More efficient use of Council resources, saving time and money.
  • Stronger funding applications, accelerating disaster recovery funding approvals.

Why RACAS®? The Technology That Makes a Difference

RACAS® technology provides unmatched speed, accuracy, and efficiency in road condition assessments:

  • AI-supported inspections ensure precise identification of damage.
  • Real-time data visibility within two weeks.
  • Priority funding submissions within the first month.
  • Automated POI categorization, reducing manual workload.
  • Seamless GIS integration, allowing for instant mapping and reporting.

Testimonial: What Gympie Regional Council Had to Say

“SHEPHERD’s RACAS® technology provided Gympie Regional Council with an efficient and accurate assessment of our 2,300km road network following a recent rain event. Within days, their team captured 3,000 Points of Interest, allowing us to quickly identify Emergent Works and prioritise funding applications. Their rapid deployment and expertise have been invaluable in helping us get ahead in the recovery process.”

Partner with SHEPHERD for Faster, Smarter Disaster Recovery

When disaster strikes, RACAS® delivers real-time, evidence-based assessments, ensuring councils secure funding and restore roads faster.

Fast-Tracking Disaster Recovery for Gannawarra Shire Council

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.

Onsite with Civil and Disaster – Cassowary Coast

Driving asset excellence, our Civil and Disaster Recovery and RACAS® teams have successfully assisted Cassowary Coast Regional Council to be the first Council in North Queensland to make a Disaster Recovery Funding submission to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority in the wake of TC Jasper.

SHEPHERD had boots on the ground within days of the major flood event that impacted nine local government areas over the Christmas period last year.

Within twelve days, our RACAS® Team had collected evidence of damage on all accessible flood affected roads.  Using proven GIS enabled field technology our Civil and Disaster Recovery Inspectors have already collected 30% of the network,  assessing the extensive damage to road and stormwater assets.

Given the extent of this event, being the first through the gate with a submission gives Council the best chance of opening roads sooner and helping the local community and industries get back on track.

Onsite with Civil and Disaster – Greater Bendigo

Driving asset excellence, our Civil and Disaster Recovery Team are onsite assisting the City of Greater Bendigo with an engineering inspection and damage assessment following storms and flooding that commenced Christmas Eve 2023.

Understanding that time is critical, our team mobilised to site in one day and have engaged additional staff locally to bolster an efficient pick-up.

To maximise available funding, we are using our RACAS® technology to accurately capture damage to the region’s 3,000km sealed and unsealed road network.  We are also manually inspecting culverts and have adapted to using Council’s own in-house inspection platform Konect.

By providing a true indication of the damage created, we can deliver the best result for Council and see roads restored as quickly as possible for the community.

Lachlan Shire Council – 2022 Flood Damage Assessment and DRFA Submission Building

Lachlan Shire Council (New South Wales) 2022 – Flood Damage Assessment and DRFA Submission Building

Project Value: $60M

In response to its October 2022 flood event, Lachlan Shire Council engaged SHEPHERD to undertake Flood Damage Assessment and build the DRFA submissions Building.

Project deliverables included:

  • Pre-Event Road Condition Survey using RACAS
  • Engineering assessment of flood damage of entire 4,000km road network
  • Submission Building and Lodgement
  • Emergent Works Claim
  • Asset Accountant

Bulloo Shire Council – 2021, 2022, 2023 DRFA Flood Damage Project Management

Bulloo Shire Council (Queensland) – 2021, 2022, 2023 DRFA Flood Damage Project Management

Project Value: $25M

In response to its 2021 Flood Event, Council opted to internally project manage delivery of reconstruction works. However, the project was not initially managed within QRA guidelines or to required specifications which resulted in the quality of work suffering.  Council faced the risk funding being rejected by the State Authority.

The SHEPHERD Civil and Disaster Recovery Team was engaged to provide expert Project Management of delivery of work. Negotiations were held with state authority to ensure practical win/win solutions.

Our onsite inspectors ensured quality of work and correct treatments were being achieved.

Monthly Scheduling and reporting to Council as well as Progress Reporting to State Authority ensured open communication throughout the project.

Benefits to Client:

  • Closing out projects as soon as they are completed to ensure correct acquittal process was followed.
  • Maximised the approved funding returned to Council.
  • Easy oversight of project progression to instil renewed confidence in the Project.

Continuing a successful working relationship, SHEPHERD was engaged by Bulloo Shire Council for subsequent flood events in 2022 and 2023 to provide the following project deliverables:

  • Pre-Event Road Condition Survey using RACAS
  • Engineering assessment of flood damage of entire road and culvert network
  • Submission Building and Lodgement
  • Emergent Works administration
  • Contract Administration
  • Contract Superintendent
  • Project Management of Restoration Works
  • Quality Assurance with Civil Inspectors
  • Claim Management including close out and Acquittal
  • Asset Accountant

Etheridge Shire Council – 2023 DRFA Flood Damage Project Management

Etheridge Shire Council (Queensland) – 2021, 2022, 2023 DRFA Flood Damage Project Management

Project Value: $107M

In response to monsoon and flooding in Northern and Central Queensland from 20 December 2022 to 30 April 2023, the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) were activated for the communities of the Etheridge Shire for a third consecutive time.

Recorded rainfall for this period was 466mm from January 1 to 15 at the Georgetown Airport.

The SHEPHERD Civil and Disaster Recovery Team had only recently concluded project management of restoration works for the 2021 and 2022 events and had just electronically surveyed the completed works with RACAS.  Accordingly, SHEPHERD was able to mobilise to site quickly which was critical to the success of this project.

Project Deliverables:

  • Pre-Event Road Condition Survey using RACAS
  • Engineering assessment of flood damage of entire road and culvert network
  • Submission Building and Lodgement
  • Emergent Works administration
  • Contract Administration
  • Contract Superintendent
  • Project Management of Restoration Works
  • Quality Assurance with Civil Inspectors
  • Claim Management including close out and Acquittal
  • Asset Accountant
  • Gravel Supply technical assistance including lodgement of Gravel Pit/Quarry applications

Proven Results for the 2023 event from RACAS and flood damage pickup in January through to all submissions approved by QRA in September include:

  • Total Claim Value: $67,238,546.12
  • Total Approved Value: $61,142,522.73
  • 1,046km Treatments Approved

Furthermore by utilising RACAS within the DRFA Flood Recovery Pickup Process, Etheridge Shire Council was able to unlock a wealth of data-driven opportunities including:

  1. Data-Driven Maintenance Plans: With RACAS, Council was able to formulate maintenance plans based on comprehensive data gathered during the flood recovery process. Identifying vulnerable areas and assessing critical assets empowering Council to proactively plan for ongoing maintenance, enhancing infrastructure resilience.
  2. Optimised Maintenance/Capital Programs: The amalgamation of RACAS data with SHEPHERD’s expertise enabled Council to optimise maintenance and capital programs. Data-driven decision-making facilitates prioritisation of projects based on real needs, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
  3. Accurate Asset Valuations: Through RACAS-driven assessments, Council can gain accurate asset valuations essential for financial planning, insurance purposes, and long-term infrastructure management.
  4. Insightful Condition Assessments: RACAS enhances the flood recovery pickup process by providing valuable insights into asset conditions post-disaster. This empowered Council to devise proactive strategies for restoring essential public assets.