Lismore Floods 2022

This section of Lismore Flood Stories is devoted to the emerging documentation projects which have attempted to capture the catastrophe of the 2022 floods which devastated Lismore. The first on February 28 peaked at 14.4m, roughly 2m higher than any other flood in recorded colonial history, and 3m higher than the 2017 flood.

On March 30, a second flood at 11.4m hit Lismore and shocked the region again. In Lismore, around 5000 homes have been damaged with estimates of 12,000 -14,000 people displaced. The entire CBD and industrial zones have been wiped out.

This website acknowledges that these unprecedented flood events occurred on Bundjalung country and had wide-reaching impacts across the Northern Rivers, but at this stage, this website is mainly covering the Lismore Flood. If documentation projects covering other areas exist, we will happily include a link to any online repository. Email me via our contact section.

In community with you all,

Jeanti St Clair

Lismore Flood Stories Creator

Rescue: Stories and portraits of civilian rescuers

Lismore Flood Stories creator and story catcher Jeanti St Clair and portrait photographer Raimond de Weerdt have spent 11 months capturing the photographic portraits and stories of civilian rescuers from the Lismore and broader Northern Rivers community. The Rescue exhibition aims to ensure that their faces, stories and names are not forgotten as their vital role prevented death and injury. There is much we can learn from their stories.

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Elise Derwin Photographer

Photographer Elise Derwin documents the devastation, heartache, and resilience of her community in the worst flood on record to hit Lismore on Bundjalung Country in Northern NSW. Elise's portrait of Lismore artist Antoinette O'Brien was a finalist for the Photo Collective Australian Photography Awards 2022 and the City of Sydney Australian Life Photo Prize Finalist. A selection of Elise's photographs will feature in the Rescue exhibition.

Flood Diaries

The goal of Flood Diaries publishers Dannielle Pickford and Sarah Moran is to capture as many personal accounts as possible from the community to arm ourselves in the fight to prevent, prepare, protect our beautiful community.

Lisa Bristow Photographer

Lisa Bristow is a Lismore based artist and photographer. Following the 2022 floods in Lismore and northern NSW, Lisa found herself falling into a photojournalist role as she turned her focus to documenting the aftermath of the floods and impact on community.

Emergence

Will the survivors of Lismore’s worst recorded flood event find a sustainable future in a town built on a flood plain? What will the future of Lismore look like? A documentary film, by writer/director Karenza Ebejer, and cinematographer/filmmaker Annie Benzie.