Flood-Compatible Flooring in Unanderra: What Council’s Controls Mean for Your Floor
- October 27, 2026
Live or work in Unanderra? Then you’ve probably heard locals talk about flooding. Maybe you’ve wondered what it means for your floor.
Should flood risk change the floor you pick? Should it change how you fix or recoat the floor you have now? These are good questions. We think every home owner, business owner and unit owner in Unanderra should ask them before spending money on a floor.
Here’s the local picture. Wollongong City Council has a plan for flood risk around Allans Creek. It’s called the Allans Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan. Unanderra sits inside the area it covers. Council adopted the plan on 12 August 2024. An older flood study from 2019 also names the Unanderra Industrial Area.
Being inside the plan’s area doesn’t mean your place floods. It just means it’s worth checking. And if your property is flood-affected, Council has rules that can apply to your floor.
In this article, we’ll walk you through it in plain words. First, we look at Unanderra and the Allans Creek floodplain. Next, we cover the floors Council calls flood-compatible flooring, including epoxy and concrete. Then we look at what businesses in the industrial area should think about. Last, we share how to plan floor prep, repairs or a recoat.
Unanderra and the Allans Creek floodplain
Council’s Allans Creek plan looks at flood risk across the whole Allans Creek catchment. That’s the area where rain drains into the creek. The plan looked at ways to manage flood risk in a number of suburbs, and Unanderra is one of them. Council voted as one to adopt the plan on 12 August 2024.
The plan built on earlier work. The 2019 Allans Creek Flood Study names the Unanderra Industrial Area. It also names Byarong, American, Charcoal and Allans Creeks.
Locals had their say too. When people sent in feedback on the plan, some shared photos of flooding at Chapman Street and Hurt Parade. Others said water often builds up near Unanderra Pool. These are things locals saw and reported. They aren’t official flood maps.
The plan also includes a warning from NSW SES. Flash flooding within 180 minutes is likely in the area. Put simply, water can rise with little warning.
Key dates
- 2019: Allans Creek Flood Study completed
- 12 August 2024: Council adopts the Allans Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan
Here’s our advice. Don’t guess about your own block. Flood risk can change from one property to the next, even on the same street. Check your property’s flood information with Wollongong City Council before you plan any floor work. It’s a small step that can save you from bigger headaches later.
What Council counts as flood-compatible flooring
Yes, epoxy can count as flood-compatible flooring in Wollongong.
Council’s building rules are in a document called the Wollongong Development Control Plan 2009. Most people just call it the DCP. Chapter E13 deals with floodplains. It says flood-compatible materials are building materials that resist damage when they go under water.
Appendix B of Wollongong’s floodplain management DCP chapter lists formed-in-place epoxy as a flood-compatible floor covering. It also lists concrete poured on site or precast concrete as floor coverings. And it lists a concrete slab laid on the ground as a flooring structure.
| DCP category | Listed examples relevant to floors |
|---|---|
| Floor coverings | Formed-in-place epoxy; in situ or precast concrete |
| Flooring structures | Slab-on-ground concrete |
Chapter E13 also has a section just for the Allans Creek floodplain. It says building parts below set flood levels must be flood-compatible. If you’re altering or adding to a building, your floor levels can’t go lower than they are now.
One thing to watch: the version of Chapter E13 we read has been in place since 25 March 2020. Council planned to update parts of the DCP after it adopted the 2024 flood plan. We don’t know if that update has happened yet. So check the latest version with Council. In our view, it’s always better to work from the current rules than an old copy.
What “flood-compatible” doesn’t mean
This part matters. The DCP list shows how Council treats a material when it comes to planning. It isn’t a promise about how a floor will hold up in a flood.
A note of caution
Picking a floor covering from the DCP list doesn’t mean your floor won’t be damaged in a flood. It also doesn’t take the place of advice from Council or an engineer.
We’d rather be upfront about this than oversell. A good floor is a smart choice. But no floor finish replaces proper flood planning.
What this means for businesses in Unanderra’s industrial area
Unanderra is a big part of how the Illawarra works. Council’s Industrial Lands Review 2023 says land at Unanderra gives much of the support for the Port of Port Kembla’s key role in the economy.
The same review says flooding is a major challenge for industrial land across the whole Wollongong council area. That’s true for the wider area, not just Unanderra.
The 2024 flood study also estimates how many properties could get water above floor level. It uses a flood event called the 1% AEP event for this.
Catchment-wide figures (not Unanderra-only)
In the 1% AEP event, the 2024 study estimates over-floor flooding across the whole Allans Creek catchment for:
- 51 industrial properties
- 103 commercial properties
- 278 residential properties
Keep in mind these numbers cover the whole catchment. They aren’t a count of Unanderra properties.
Council’s plan also includes steps aimed at businesses. These include emergency plans for flood-affected businesses and flood-proofing guidelines.
If you run a business from a unit or warehouse here, downtime costs money. That’s why we think planning comes first. If your site is on flood-affected land, start with the Council rules above. Once you’ve checked those, you can look at options like our industrial floor coatings.
Planning floor preparation, repair or recoating on flood-affected land
Our honest advice? Talk to Council before you talk to anyone about your floor. Check your property’s flood information and the latest DCP rules first. The DCP version we read may have changed since the 2024 flood plan came in.
If your job is an alteration or addition in the Allans Creek floodplain, the DCP says your floor levels can’t go lower than they are now. Council can tell you how that applies to your project.
Once you’ve checked with Council, your floor work may need one or more of these services we offer:
- concrete surface preparation
- old epoxy floor removal
- concrete crack repair and filling
- epoxy floor recoating
- converting old floors to epoxy systems
Got an epoxy floor that’s been damaged? Our epoxy floor repairs page explains that service. If the concrete itself needs work, we also offer concrete overlays and toppings.
If your floor has been through a flood, ask questions before anyone starts. Ask your contractor how they’ll check the slab’s condition and moisture before any coating goes down. A good contractor should be happy to explain this. If there are questions about the structure or flood levels, get advice from Council and an engineer.
Before you book floor work
- Check your property’s flood information with Wollongong City Council.
- Check the latest version of DCP Chapter E13 with Council.
- Ask your contractor how they’ll check the slab’s condition and moisture before coating.
- Get engineering advice if there are questions about the structure or flood levels.
Done your Council checks and ready to talk about your floor? Visit our epoxy flooring in Unanderra page to get in touch.
Whether you own a home, a business or an industrial unit in Unanderra, Council’s flood information comes first. Once you know what applies to your property, we’re happy to have a chat about your floor. You’ll find our contact details on our Unanderra epoxy flooring page.