Flood Risk Reports for Australian Properties

Will this property flood? It is one of the most important questions to ask before you buy, build or renovate. A council flood map alone cannot answer it.

Our flood risk assessment looks at the property from three angles: where it sits in the landscape, where water flows during heavy rain, and how rainfall in your region is projected to change over the coming decades. The result is a clear picture of your flood exposure, now and into the future.

Flood risk analysis is included in every Property Resilience Report, alongside bushfire and cyclone assessments, for any address in Australia.
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Three Flood Risks, Assessed Separately

Most flood tools give you a single yes or no answer. Real flood risk does not work that way. We break it into three separate risk scores.

Elevation and Topography

How likely is it that the property could be underwater one day?

We build an elevation profile of the property and its surroundings using a digital elevation model from Geoscience Australia, derived from LiDAR data. That is more than 20,000 elevation points around your address. We compare the property's elevation against nearby low-lying areas, water bodies and its distance to the coast to estimate its exposure to major flooding. Your report includes topographic maps covering 100 square kilometres around the property, so you can see exactly how it sits in the landscape.

Surface Runoff

Where does the water go during a severe rain event?

A property can sit well above the flood plain and still get inundated by stormwater flowing across it. We analyse the slope and terrain within 200 metres of your address and calculate the direction and speed of likely water flow at each point. The report presents this as a flow map: arrows showing where runoff travels during heavy rain, and whether it heads towards the property or away from it. Council flood maps do not provide this level of local detail.

Future Rainfall Patterns

What has rainfall looked like historically, and how will climate change alter it?

Using Bureau of Meteorology records and current climate models, we compare historical rainfall for your area against future projections: annual totals, wet season intensity and duration, and the frequency of very wet months. Flood risk is not static. A property that is marginal today may face a very different picture in 2050. Your report tells you which way the trend is pointing for your region.

What You Receive

Each flood assessment includes individual risk scores for elevation, runoff and rainfall change, presented on clear risk gauges with plain-language explanations. You also receive topographic and flow maps of the property and its surroundings, charts of historical and projected rainfall for your area, and practical recommendations matched to your risk level, from drainage improvements to when a professional flood study is warranted.

We are equally upfront about what the assessment does not cover, such as very large upstream catchment dynamics or local soil conditions. Every report states its limitations, and we help you interpret the results.

Bushfire and Cyclone Risk Included

Flooding is only one part of the picture.
Every Property Resilience Report also assesses bushfire risk and cyclone and severe weather exposure for your address, plus long-term climate change projections.

Get the complete Resilience Report

One report covers all three major hazards.

Who Uses Our Flood Risk Reports
  • Homebuyers doing due diligence before an offer or auction. Flood exposure affects insurance premiums, resale value and liveability, and it is far cheaper to find out before you sign.
  • Property owners planning renovations or drainage upgrades, or simply wanting to understand their exposure.
  • Building and property professionals, including buyer's agents, architects and builders, who want an independent, evidence-based risk assessment as an input to their own advice.

Frequently Asked Questions
Isn't council flood mapping enough?

Council flood maps are a useful starting point. However, they typically show modelled riverine flood extents only, they are updated infrequently, and they say nothing about localised surface runoff, which is one of the most common causes of property flooding. Our assessment analyses the terrain of your specific site and adds forward-looking climate projections that static maps do not include.
Does the report cover flash flooding and stormwater?

Yes, through the surface runoff analysis. By modelling slope and flow direction within 200 metres of the property, we estimate how much stormwater is likely to flow towards the site during severe rain events. That is the mechanism behind most flash flooding damage.
Can I get a report for any address in Australia?

Yes. Our data sources (Geoscience Australia elevation models, Bureau of Meteorology records and national climate projections) and models cover the entire country.
We rely on the street address to pinpoint the exact location. If your building is on a very large property or within a new development, we'd recommend contacting us before we issue a report. That way we can make sure to assess the correct location.
How quickly will I receive my report?

Standard delivery is 3 business days. If you are on a deadline, the express option will deliver your report within 24 hours.
Is this a formal flood study for council or insurance purposes?

No. The Resilience Report is a desktop risk assessment prepared by climate adaptation specialists using public data, mapping and records. It is not an engineering flood study, and it is not intended for building approvals, certification or insurance purposes. Results are expressed as risk ratings from very low to very high, not as guarantees. Where the assessment indicates elevated risk, the report tells you when a site-specific flood study or engineering advice is the right next step.
Can you guarantee my property won't flood?

No one can, and you should be wary of anyone who claims otherwise. What we can do is assess all the available evidence (terrain, runoff patterns and rainfall projections) and give you an honest, clearly explained rating of the risk, together with its limitations, so you can make an informed decision.
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