The government says dozens of cultural and sporting hubs across Lismore, including the town’s iconic City Hall, are now restored and revitalised after suffering flood damage in 2022.
The $112 million restoration works were primarily jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
Additional funding was provided through Create NSW, the State Library of NSW, and contributions from Lismore City Council. 45 building projects under the City Council’s Flood Restoration Portfolio are now complete.
The restored buildings include major civic, cultural and sporting facilities, from the revitalised Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore Library and Municipal Building through to community sporting hubs such as Albert Park Baseball Complex, Lismore Basketball Stadium and Lismore Tennis Club.
Lismore City Hall was the program’s most ambitious restoration, with the iconic venue requiring a complete internal reconstruction.
It was stripped to its bare shell before being carefully rebuilt, with internal layouts reconfigured to improve functionality, flexibility and resilience against future flooding. It’s due to reopen in early 2027.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said, ‘The completion of these projects marks a major milestone in Lismore’s flood recovery, restoring community facilities that bring people together while strengthening their resilience to future disasters.
‘Recovering from disaster is about more than rebuilding buildings. It is about helping communities restore the services, facilities and spaces they rely on every day.’
Cultural jewel
NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin said, ‘The City Hall is a cultural jewel of Lismore.
‘The restoration of 45 buildings across Lismore marks an important milestone in the recovery journey of our community that is more than symbolic. It’s real progress in the places where we work, learn and play.
‘It’s been almost five years since the people of Lismore and the Northern Rivers experienced the terrible 2022 flooding events. But in that time, our community has banded together and built back stronger.
‘By investing more than $100 million we’ve been able to ensure that not only will the people of Lismore be better prepared and more resilient in the face of future disasters, but that we have the infrastructure, facilities and spaces to come together as a community and thrive.’
Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said, ‘The restoration of these facilities has always been about people. They’re the places where our community gathers, learns, celebrates achievements, supports one another and creates memories.
‘After everything our community has been through, seeing these spaces full of people again is incredibly meaningful. It’s a reminder that recovery is ultimately about restoring the places that bring us together.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
