Dungog Waste Management Facility is open to the public but with access limited to 4WD vehicles only due to the recent rain. Conditions will continue to be monitored, and updates provided as they are available.
Dungog Shire Council is undertaking planned testing and maintenance of the Hooke Street Emergency Warning Siren to ensure the system remains operational and ready to perform when needed during flood emergencies.
The testing will also provide an opportunity for Council, emergency service agencies and the system installer to review procedures, inspect equipment and strengthen emergency preparedness.
The testing is scheduled for:
Date: Friday 12 June, 2026 Time: Mid-morning
Residents may hear the siren activate intermittently during the testing period.
No.
The siren activations during the testing period are planned and do not indicate an emergency. Residents do not need to take any action if they hear the siren on the advertised testing date and time.
What is the Hooke Street Emergency Warning Siren?
The Hooke Street Emergency Warning Siren is a flood early warning system that combines:
The system provides valuable real-time flood information to emergency managers and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), helping support emergency planning and response activities.
The monitoring station continuously measures water levels and how quickly water levels are rising.
This information is transmitted to the Bureau of Meteorology and emergency managers through a telemetry network maintained by Dungog Shire Council.
The system is designed to automatically activate the siren when predetermined flood triggers are reached.
The siren will automatically activate if either of the following conditions are met:
For reference, the Hooke Street area sits at approximately 45.5mAHD.
During a flood emergency, the siren emits a distinctive "WHOOP" tone.
When activated, it sounds for:
This cycle continues until the warning is cancelled.
The Hooke Street Emergency Warning Siren was installed following the 2015 flood event and has been operational since 2019.
While emergency activations have been limited, the monitoring system regularly provides valuable flood intelligence that helps emergency managers monitor changing conditions and prepare for potential impacts.
There is no exact distance as audibility can be affected by weather conditions, wind, rainfall, background noise and local terrain.
The siren was specifically designed to provide warning to residents in areas most likely to be affected by flooding around Hooke Street and surrounding flood-prone locations.
The siren should be considered one part of a broader warning system and not the sole source of emergency information.
The system automatically provides notifications to a range of emergency management personnel, including:
Dungog Shire Council
NSW SES
These notifications help emergency managers monitor conditions, assess risks and coordinate response activities.
The Hooke Street Emergency Warning Siren is just one part of a broader emergency warning network.
Depending on the situation, residents may also receive information through:
Residents should always stay informed through multiple official information sources during severe weather and flood events.
Regular testing and maintenance help ensure the system remains reliable and ready to operate when needed.
The upcoming testing will include routine inspections, operational checks and upgrades to improve reliability, including replacement of ageing batteries with modern Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries that perform better during prolonged periods of poor weather and reduced solar input.
Maintaining the system helps ensure it continues to provide valuable flood intelligence and warning capabilities for the Dungog community.
Updates regarding the testing will be published on:
For emergency information during severe weather events, residents should monitor official advice from NSW SES and view full warnings on the Hazard Watch website or Hazards Near Me app.