Theguardian iconTheguardianSep 9, 2026

Peter’s farm is on ‘flood country’. As Australia’s sea levels rise, safe land is vanishing and costs are huge

Climate Council forecasts more than 267,000 coastal properties will be damaged by flooding by 2100, costing hundreds of billions of dollars Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast. When grazier Peter Lake moved to the Clarence Valley in the New South Wales northern rivers region in 2007, he knew was "buying in flood country with … eyes open".

Peter’s farm is on ‘flood country’. As Australia’s sea levels rise, safe land is vanishing and costs are huge

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Climate Council forecasts more than 267,000 coastal properties will be damaged by flooding by 2100, costing hundreds of billions of dollars Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast.

When grazier Peter Lake moved to the Clarence Valley in the New South Wales northern rivers region in 2007, he knew was "buying in flood country with … eyes open".

His cattle farm, about halfway between Yamba and Grafton, borders the Coldstream River and has flooded five times since 2009.

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Climate Council forecasts more than 267,000 coastal properties will be damaged by flooding by 2100, costing hundreds of billions of dollars Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast. When grazier Peter Lake moved to the Clarence Valley in the New South Wales northern rivers region in 2007, he knew was "buying in flood country with … eyes open". His cattle farm, about halfway between Yamba and Grafton, borders the Coldstream River and has flooded five times since 2009.

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