New digital road signs add extra layer of safety during floods

21 August 2025

New digital road signs located on some of Council’s most flood-prone roads will provide extra safety and a convenient early warning for motorists during floods and heavy rain events, thanks to a joint project between Rotary, Bendigo Bank and Council.

The Flooded Roads Smart Warning System project is funded by Rotary Foundation Australia and Bendigo Bank Community Enterprise Foundation.

The solar-powered signs are located on Brennans Dam Road at Vineyard (3 signs), Tennyson Road at Tennyson (2), Old East Kurrajong Road at East Kurrajong (2), and Roberts Creek Road at Blaxlands Ridge (2). Hawkesbury City Council liaised closely with Hawkesbury SES over the past 12 months to identify the four most suitable locations for the signs.

The signs replace older manual fold-down warning signs at the approaches to the creeks or culverts where flooding is common. The signs illuminate automatically via a sensor placed near to the water at a set height.

When the signs are active, it is unsafe to travel along the road due to floodwaters. The signs also gather real-time data which can assist Council and disaster management teams in future planning and road design.

Hawkesbury City Mayor Les Sheather thanked Rotary and Bendigo Bank for their support in keeping motorists in the Hawkesbury safe during floods.

“The Hawkesbury is one of the most flood-prone local government areas in NSW. As we’ve seen over the last five years, roads can quickly become inundated during severe weather and flooding events,” Mayor Sheather said.

“These new signs will be a highly visible and reliable warning for motorists, no matter what time of day or night.

“The reality is many of the flood rescues which have occurred in our City over the last five years were completely avoidable and resulted from people driving into flood waters. This puts their lives and the lives of those that step forward to rescue them in grave danger. Council reminds motorists to never drive through floodwaters as debris and road washouts hidden by water can put your life at risk.”

Caption:  Hawkesbury City Mayor Les Sheather and Resilience and Emergency Management Coordinator Phil Bow with Rotary representatives including Rotary Foundation Director Paul Rogers, district governors Haran Ramashandran and Michele Ellery, past district governors Christine Owen and Mina Howard; Bendigo Bank representatives including Bank Branch Manager for Hawkesbury Tony Weller, and representatives from contractor Substation.