Director of communities Jo Bradshaw said there had been a noticeable decrease in people attending the hub since the beginning of the year.
While the Mackay St hub was now shut, Ms Bradshaw said case management, mental health services, legal advice and financial counselling remained accessible.
Appointments with relevant service providers can be made, and staff can still be accessed in town.
“Recovery officers will be attending the Rochester Customer Service Centre on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during operating hours,” Ms Bradshaw said.
“The team has always focused on supporting community, and that focus will not change.”
Officers can also assist residents who would like to prepare for future events by supporting the development of a First 72 Hours preparedness plan.
“All of council’s customer service centres have plans, brochures and USBs available to the community for free,” Ms Bradshaw said.
While it is a positive sign that demand is decreasing for services, Ms Bradshaw said council understood recovery was a long-term process.
Accordingly, council has appointed a relief, resilience and recovery co-ordinator who will continue previous years’ efforts and work on emergency preparedness.
Council’s government-funded flood-recovery program ends in December, but Ms Bradshaw said recovery would remain a focus afterwards.
“Experts have often told us a community can take three to five years to find their new normal,” she said.
“We will also work towards preparedness activities by providing information, training and working with community to build knowledge and networks that will allow everyone to better respond to future emergencies.”
Council is continuing to explore flood mitigation options, with information, mapping and updates on the Rochester Flood Study on its website.
To contact council’s recovery team, call 1300 666 535 or email shire@campaspe.vic.gov.au
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