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When cars try to surf: Managing operational and community complexity in flood salvage
In January 2026, intense rainfall triggered flash flooding along Victoria's Great Ocean Road during peak visitor season. In an intense 3-hour period, floodwaters from waterways including the Cumberland, Erskine and Wye rivers washed vehicles and caravans into river mouths and the ocean - creating an urgent, high-visibility problem in sensitive coastal habitat and culturally significant places central to the visitor economy.
Salvaging these vehicles was a test of social licence as much as logistics. Cumberland River alone contains 50+ sites of cultural significance under the guardianship of Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC), with several already impacted by flooding and at risk of further disturbance. EMAC engagement was treated as a design input; shaping access, sequencing, exclusion zones and acceptable methods to protect Country and minimise harm.
VICSES led an atypical, time-critical salvage operation by establishing a shared purpose: protect cultural and environmental values while supporting community recovery. The differentiator was community-centred, proactive multi-agency and community consultation to clarify constraints, surface non-negotiables, and jointly define “success”. This approach enabled flexible ways of working, open-minded testing of alternate methods, reduced friction in approvals and accelerated decision-making without compromising standards.
With concurrent major fire events constraining resources statewide, VICSES stood up a lean internal Incident Management Team with support by a broader Emergency Management Team to inform access and disruption mitigations.
Over three days, the team co-designed options balancing multiple complex competing factors to successfully execute a unique helicopter lift and 12-hour vehicle relocation program with no incidents, injuries, near misses or contamination reports.
This presentation will detail how strong relationships, good collaborative planning, clear communication and flexible execution can deliver excellent community results.
Salvaging these vehicles was a test of social licence as much as logistics. Cumberland River alone contains 50+ sites of cultural significance under the guardianship of Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC), with several already impacted by flooding and at risk of further disturbance. EMAC engagement was treated as a design input; shaping access, sequencing, exclusion zones and acceptable methods to protect Country and minimise harm.
VICSES led an atypical, time-critical salvage operation by establishing a shared purpose: protect cultural and environmental values while supporting community recovery. The differentiator was community-centred, proactive multi-agency and community consultation to clarify constraints, surface non-negotiables, and jointly define “success”. This approach enabled flexible ways of working, open-minded testing of alternate methods, reduced friction in approvals and accelerated decision-making without compromising standards.
With concurrent major fire events constraining resources statewide, VICSES stood up a lean internal Incident Management Team with support by a broader Emergency Management Team to inform access and disruption mitigations.
Over three days, the team co-designed options balancing multiple complex competing factors to successfully execute a unique helicopter lift and 12-hour vehicle relocation program with no incidents, injuries, near misses or contamination reports.
This presentation will detail how strong relationships, good collaborative planning, clear communication and flexible execution can deliver excellent community results.
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