Following four major flood events between January 2020 and February, Lismore City Council required rapid, accurate and scalable spatial data to support the reconstruction of essential public road infrastructure across the local government area. Initially scoped as a traditional Detail Survey of 72 priority sites (approximately 38 kilometres of road), Bennett + Bennett proposed an alternate, non-conforming solution utilising Ultra-Rich Airborne Laser Scanning and high-resolution imagery. This innovative approach enabled Council to significantly expand the survey coverage to 168 kilometres of road, capturing an additional 130 kilometres of critical infrastructure while meeting accuracy requirements, reducing cost, improving safety and accelerating delivery. The solution eliminated the need for extensive on-road survey crews, minimised traffic disruption, and mitigated safety risks in a post-disaster environment. The resulting datasets provided Council with a comprehensive, future-proof digital record of road conditions to support immediate repair works, prioritisation of funding, and long-term flood resilience planning. Spatial data was delivered via a secure web-based portal, enabling Council and consultants to remotely interrogate, extract and analyse data without the need for repeat site visits. This allowed faster decision-making and helped restore safe, reliable road access for a community significantly impacted by flood damage. This project was recognised with the 2025 NSW EISSI Community & Sustainable Environment Award, acknowledging its measurable community benefit, innovation, and contribution to disaster recovery and resilience.
SERVICES:
Established in 1968 on the Gold Coast, we have been privileged to play a significant role in key projects and areas of development that have helped shape South East Queensland and NSW.