Six years on from Black Summer, the NSW government says it’s continuing to roll out a raft of initiatives to prepare and protect the community as the 2025/26 bushfire season kicks off.
Transport for NSW has worked across government and with emergency response agencies to plan and prepare for the bushfire season, with more than 170 local, regional and Bushfire Emergency Management Committees across the state working to ensure operational readiness.
In 2025, Transport for NSW has participated in more than 60 readiness exercises to prepare for times of flood or bushfire.
New signage
Recommendation 65b from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, handed down in July 2020, was to improve information flows and increase public awareness of ABC emergency broadcasts by strategically placing roadside signage with local and regional ABC radio frequencies throughout NSW.
After working with councils across the state, Transport for NSW recently completed the installation of 219 signs displaying local ABC radio at locations identified for their historical risk and other factors such as potentially limited phone service.
There are 64 new signs in Greater Sydney, 58 in the north of the state, 54 in the south and 43 in the west, building on the 99 roadside signs installed at key regional areas in 2022 and bringing the total number of signs across the state network to more than 300.
Transport for NSW has installed new 30,000‑litre water tanks at the Bundjalung Rest Area and the Pine Brush Creek Northbound Rest Area on the Pacific Highway. These tanks are available for use by the NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW to support crews responding to incidents and emergencies
The new water sources will provide a strategic advantage in the Clarence Valley LGA along the Pacific Highway – between Glenugie and Tabbimobile – where history has shown there are minimal nearby water refill sources resulting in extended transit times for emergency vehicles to travel to a refill location. This builds on previous water tank installations across the Kempsey and Shoalhaven LGAs.
Transport for NSW also has crews across the state currently carrying out roadside vegetation control along key road corridors to provide firebreaks in some areas while generally reducing the amount of combustible material.
Keeping communities safe
Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins said, ‘Transport for NSW is proud to be continuing to deliver on the NSW Bushfire Inquiry recommendations to help keep people in our communities safe in times of emergency and provide safe travelling conditions for motorists on the road network.
‘Hosting water tanks in our rest areas is an obvious solution to past problems accessing water once firefighters have depleted onboard supplies. This is all about reducing the risk of having road closures and importantly the chance of there being devastation in the event of a fire.
‘Information is power and the initiative to roll out more signs indicating the local broadcast frequency to tune in for the latest information during a weather emergency is a simple but important one.
‘Another recommendation out of the bushfire inquiry was to include all road information – rather than just impacts to state roads – on Live Traffic NSW, and in the past three years all councils in NSW have been provided the opportunity to publish local road information on that platform.
‘Since then, councils have published information about almost 19,000 unique incidents. Not only does this information appear on Live Traffic NSW but it is also picked up by popular navigation apps including Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze and TomTom.’
ABC
ABC Head of Emergency Donna Field said, ‘The rollout of local ABC frequency signs is a vital prompt for locals and visitors in NSW to stay alert and informed during emergencies.
‘During emergencies, radio remains a reliable source of information. It can often continue to deliver critical updates even when other communication channels are disrupted or unavailable, ensuring communities stay informed when it matters most.
‘As an emergency services broadcaster, the ABC works hand-in-hand with emergency services and local agencies to deliver timely, accurate and practical information to communities before, during and after emergencies.
‘This roadside campaign is a clear reminder of where people can turn for dependable coverage that helps keep them safe.’
Supporting firefighters
RFS Deputy Commissioner Operational Coordination Ben Millington said, ‘We welcome the rollout of initiatives like these new water tanks, which will directly support firefighters and communities as we move further into the bushfire season.
‘Every minute saved in accessing water can make a real difference to the protection of life, property and the environment.
‘It is an important reminder that while agencies continue to prepare and invest in readiness, bushfire safety is a shared responsibility. We all need to do what we can to prepare our properties and have discussed a bushfire survival plan.
‘We urge everyone to use all available sources to stay informed in times of emergency, including the Fires Near Me app, the RFS website, official RFS social media channels, and local media to stay up-to-date with warnings and information.’
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