Coffs Coast: SES leader warns of falling trees, sinkholes

The battered Coffs Coast faces further challenges as an emergency services chief warns large trees could give way while Ian Horncastle is picking up the pieces at his own business.

Fears are held that large trees will come crashing down, and sinkholes will develop in the latest alert for the sodden Coffs Coast.

“Things are going to start collapsing,” State Emergency Service Coffs Harbour deputy commander of operations Ian Horncastle said.

On Sunday morning, Mr Horncastle was cleaning up his flood-hit wood gallery shop at the Old Butter Factory at Bellingen and mulling what the next week would bring.

Ian Horncastle and Christiaan Dolislager - store owners at the Old Butter Factory at Bellingen - check flood damaged stock. Picture: Chris Knight

Front-of-mind was that big trees near homes would fall and the risk of unforeseen earth movements - like a four-metre sinkhole which has opened on a property at Moonee.

Mr Horncastle said the Coffs Coast’s list of 130-odd calls for help had been cleared by the SES, but he knew the book from the latest rain lash wasn’t closed.

To manage fatigue, local volunteers are enjoying some respite - buoyed by out-of-area crew, including SES from Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria.

“We’ve had three states providing support so that has been really good - and they’ll start moving north,” Mr Horncastle said.

“We’ve been lucky.”

But the Coffs Coast is not in the clear.

More rain is on the way, and the Bureau of Meteorology seven-day forecast for Coffs Harbour has everyone on guard.

Up to 20mm could fall on Thursday, 45mm on Friday and 50mm on Saturday.

There’s a 90 per cent chance of rain on all three of those days, according to BOM.

Weatherzone is reporting some areas on the North Coast may see up to 200mm of rain across the next seven days. Picture: Weatherzone

“We’ll re-evaluate (the situation) tomorrow and I have a meeting with the ops team on Tuesday and we’ll start planning again,” Mr Horncastle said.

Like many, the sunny weekend has been a window to try and right the ship as Mr Horncastle worked in his store.

“There’s been a lot of devastation - you look around and realise ‘that’s gone, that’s gone, that’s gone’,” he said.

“My favourite gardens - all gone.”

Mt Horncastle hopes to re-open The Woodcraft Gallery by Saturday - if nature will just allow.