Katherine Town Council flood recovery update

27/3/27

  • Recently flooded-in Gorge Road residents asked to put wheelie bins out for collection by 6am, Saturday 28 March. 
  • Gorge Road and Tindal Street are open
  • Emungalan is closed
  • The Library is open, normal hours
  • the Waste Management Facility is open, business as usual operations

26/3/27

  • Road closures: Florina, Gorge, and Emungalan Roads are closed
  • The Library will be open tomorrow (Wednesday) during normal operating hours
  • Council is cleaning buildings at the showgrounds, and the power remains off. The facility is not available for use.
  • We are helping some user groups clean and restore their facilities at the sports grounds, it is available for limited use.
  • The Waste Management Facility is open during normal hours at reduced capacity - the facility can only accept limited volumes of general household waste, the type normally placed in wheelie bins. Non-flood-affected materials, such as tables, chairs, and fridges, cannot be accepted at this time. We expect it to be open for business as usual operations tomorrow (Wednesday). 
  • Please check the NT Road Report for road closures and warnings https://roadreport.nt.gov.au/home

25/3/27

  • Road closures: Florina, Gorge, and Emungalan Roads are closed.
  • Katherine’s Public Library remains closed while the building is sandbagged
  • The Visitor Information Centre is open.
  • The Waste Management Facility is open during normal hours at reduced capacity - the facility can only accept limited volumes of general household waste, the type normally placed in wheelie bins. Non-flood-affected materials, such as tables, chairs, and fridges, cannot be accepted at this time.

23/3/26

Katherine Waste Updates

 

The Katherine Weigh Bridge will be opened tomorrow only for authorised contractors; this is not open to the general public.

Council Waste Management Facility will reopen and operate from tomorrow; however, it will do so at reduced capacity while Council continues assessing the condition of the tip face.

 During this period, the facility can only accept limited volumes of general household waste—the type normally placed in wheelie bins.

Non-flood-affected materials such as tables, chairs, fridges, etc. cannot be accepted at this time. Proof of residence will be required.

 These restrictions are temporary and will remain in place until full operational waste services can be safely reinstated.

 Flood‑affected hard waste (verge) collections have now ceased. The ADF and NTSES will continue to assist only with flood‑affected items, and this support needs to be arranged in advance. If you require assistance, please call 132 500.

Council service delivery updates

Katherine’s Public Library, Visitor Information Centre, Main Office, and the Waste Management Facility will reopen tomorrow and operate during their normal business hours. Show and Sport grounds still remain closed, but the adventure play park and the skate park are open.

20/3/26

A major flood warning is in place for Katherine, with flooding expected on Monday morning. Please plan ahead and get current information from the SecureNT Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/secureNT

Facility closures:

  • Public library - closed from 1 pm Friday 20th March
  • Visitor Centre - closed from 1 pm Friday 20th March
  • Waste Management Facility - closed from Sunday until further notice

Service delivery will be assessed daily. 

19/3/26

Waste Management update

From Friday, 20 March, Katherine Town Council’s Waste Management Facility will reopen to the general public for limited items.

Flood-affected waste will continue to be accepted free of charge. Standard fees and charges apply to all other items.

The temporary waste management facility at the Katherine Weigh Bridge will close to public access at the close of business on Thursday. This site will remain open only to authorised contractors.

Verge Collection
Verge pick-ups will continue only for flood-affected items.

We are seeing an increase in non-flood-related items being placed on verges or taken to temporary facilities. This slows down clean-up efforts for those who need it most.

What you need to do
• Only place flood-damaged items on the verge
• Use your wheelie bin for general household and food waste
• Do not take general waste to the temporary facility
• The Waste Management Facility is open to the public (fees apply to non-flood waste)

All arrangements are weather-dependent and may change as conditions improve.

Thank you for helping keep the clean-up efficient and focused on supporting our community.

Update: 18/3/26

Flood Rubbish Collection – Katherine North and Katherine South

Contractors will continue in Katherine North today and move to Katherine South later today to collect flood-damaged hard rubbish.
To help ensure a fast and efficient collection, please follow these guidelines:
• Place your goods neatly on the verge and ensure they do not obstruct roads or footpaths.
• This hard rubbish collection is only for dwellings that have been flood-affected.
• Items must be flood-damaged to be eligible for collection.
• Green waste will not be collected
• Lawn mowers will not be collected
• For easier collection, please place items in an orderly way and bag any loose items where possible.

Update: 17/3/26

As of 5 pm, 16 March 2026, Katherine officially transitioned into the ‘Recovery’ phase following the floods.

This means that the community’s emergency shelters at Katherine High School are now closed, essential services, schools and clinics have been restored, and residents can resume a ‘business as usual’ life.

A friendly reminder that the Katherine Town Council Civic Centre at 29 Crawford Street is now open to the public.

The Library and Visitor Information Centre have resumed operations.

The Showgrounds, Sportsgrounds and Lindsay Street Complex remain closed until further notice.  

We are working hard to reinstate services and facilities as resources allow and it is safe to do so.

Last Thursday, March 12th, Mayor Joanna Holden spent the morning with the Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Hon Kristy McBain around Katherine. They visited the temporary evacuation centre at Katherine High, the Showgrounds, GYRACC, Shadforth and Fogarty Rd and the NTES Headquarters on Chardon Street.

“It is great to see how community volunteers, local businesses, organisations and government agencies have mobilised and responded to the floods. The Minister and I discussed the devastating impact on our community and the rebuilding process. Council is ready to work hard to get Katherine back on track. We will work with the community, the Territory and the Federal governments to rebuild our town,” Mayor Joanna Holden said.

Cemetery update

We have assessed the Katherine Cemetery and are aware that some graves have been affected and require attention. The ground is still heavily waterlogged, which is making it difficult to carry out repairs safely. The cemetery remains a high priority, and as soon as machinery can access the site, maintenance will begin.

Our team has collected as many ornaments as possible; these have been placed in the rotunda for families to retrieve.

Please take care when walking through the cemetery, as much of the ground is still very soft.

Council Road closures

(Last updated 1pm 13/3/2026) 

  • Hunt Court –works have been carried out; however partial road closure remains in place.
  • Crawford Street – partial road closure (at corner between Katherine Town Council and Tradelink). Works are currently being undertaken.
  • Giles and Second Street - partial road closure (between Court House and Car Parts) 

Due to the floods, underground stormwater drains have been compromised causing the risk of sinkholes. 

Please drive to the conditions and adhere to the road closure requirements. They are closed for reason. Thank you for patience and understanding.

Help spread the word!

Flood damaged household items - verge collections

  • Verge collections have started and will continue for two weeks. The contractor will complete multiple sweeps through all flood‑affected areas.
  • Residents are encouraged to check with their insurer for any requirements before placing items on the verge.

Temporary waste transfer station now open

A temporary waste transfer station is open at the Katherine Weighbridge (Stuart Highway, Lansdowne) to assist with flood waste.  It will remain open for as long as needed. 

Opening hours
• 7.30 am – 5.30 pm - from Friday, 13 March 2026 - remains open throughout the weekend. 

Kerbside rubbish collection

Normal kerbside rubbish collection has resumed across Katherine.

If your wheelie bin was lost during the floods, you can request a replacement by:

  • Calling Council on 8972 5500
    • Emailing records@ktc.nt.gov.au
    • Using the Snap Send Solve app – Incident Type: Lost your Wheelie Bin – Flood 2026

Please only request a replacement if you do not have a bin at all, as our supply is limited. We will deliver replacement bins as quickly as possible.

Flood Financial Assistance – Northern Territory Government

The Northern Territory Government provides financial assistance to residents affected by flooding.

Available support may include:

  • Immediate Hardship Grants – to assist with urgent needs such as food, clothing, medical supplies, transport and emergency accommodation.
  • Essential Household Items Grant – to help replace or repair essential household items damaged during a disaster.
  • Repair of Uninsured Homes Grant – to assist with repairs to make an uninsured home safe and habitable.
  • Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) – recovery support and assistance for councils managing disaster impacts.

Residents can apply through the SecureNT website:

Katherine and Wugularr (Beswick) | Secure NT

Please note these grants are not insurance and may not cover the full cost of losses.

Clean up information

Personal protective equipment can be purchased from Macs Hire and Mitre 10. Other local businesses may also stock suitable items.

Melioidosis alert - wet weather risk

Heavy rain, flooding and strong winds can increase the risk of melioidosis.

The bacteria lives in soil and surface water and can enter the body through cuts, sores or by inhaling dust and droplets.

Although most common in Australia’s Top End, cases have previously been diagnosed in limited numbers in Central Australia.

Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, skin sores that don’t heal, or abscesses. Early treatment is critical.

The risk is higher for people with diabetes, kidney or lung disease, heavy alcohol use, cancer, or weakened immune systems - but anyone can be affected.

To protect yourself against melioidosis, you should:

  • wear covered waterproof footwear outdoors
  • use gloves when gardening
  • clean and cover cuts with waterproof dressings
  • avoid high-pressure hosing soil
  • stay indoors during heavy wind and rain

If you are concerned about having melioidosis symptoms, visit your local GP, clinic or hospital.

Find out more:  https://nt.gov.au/.../health.../bacterial/melioidosis

SecureNT

Useful numbers and links 

For flood or storm damage assistance, call 132 500 for NTES.

For emergencies, ALWAYS call 000.

Page last updated 16/3/2026 4:15pm