NSW SES has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the risks of flooding in flood-prone areas, partnering with full-service marketing and communications agency Bastion and the NSW Reconstruction Authority to develop a simulation of how flood levels might impact real homes.

'Future Flood' identified four residents who has not previously evacuated, simulating accurate flood heights in their homes - right down to their vehicles, possessions and even children's toys.

A spokesperson for the NSW Reconstruction Authority said: “Making flood risk relatable can be challenging – we often refer to probability and complex details relating to when and where floods will hit – this campaign taps into the way people’s decisions are influenced and highlights how past floods are not a reliable indicator of what a future flood may look like.”

The project was developed in response to research findings that showed 70% of people did not heed evacuation warnings during floods in the Hawkesbury Nepean Valley in 2021-22. The objective is to make the risk of flooding more relatable and to encourage people to take emergency warnings seriously.

Bastion Group Chief Creative Officer Simon Langley said: "With the climate becoming increasingly unpredictable in Australia, following the advice of emergency authorities is more important than ever. It was a privilege to work alongside NSW SES, the Reconstruction Authority and simulation experts to create this data driven campaign with a powerful message we believe will resonate and change behaviour.”