Coffs Coast dodges rain bomb as system moves offshore

After an anxious night, Coffs Harbour residents have breathed a huge sigh of relief as an intense rain system changed direction.

Coffs Coast residents and emergency service workers were anticipating a wild night - only for fear to be replaced by relief and hope as an intense rain system unexpectedly moved offshore.

State Emergency Service Coffs Harbour deputy unit commander Ian Horncastle said the system - which was parked off Wooli for seven or eight hours on Monday, February 28 - was forecast to track south and dump as much as 300mm on an already saturated Coffs Harbour area.

As late as 7.30pm an alert was issued for Bellingen, only for the system to soon after start moving southeast.

A four-wheel drive tows a sedan which became stranded in floodwater on Bray Street, Coffs Harbour, on Monday, February 28. Picture: Steve Zaal

By 9pm the SES was able to move its volunteers - who had been on high alert - to standby, Mr Horncastle said.

There was a further scale-back at dawn on Tuesday as the SES was able to relieve those volunteers back to their units.

SES volunteers from out-of-area are now being sent back to their home bases, as the need now shifts to the Central Coast and south to Sydney, which may be impacted as the weather system is expected to develop into an East Coast Low.

“We still have a lot of people on the ground for mop-up and medication and food drops,” Mr Horncastle said.

Ian Horncastle, SES Coffs Harbour deputy commander of operations.

They also had two ‘rescue’ calls on their books - though one for a vehicle at Glenreagh has already been investigated and determined to be an earlier incident where the four occupants safely escaped.

The other was a vehicle callout in the Nana Glen area, though this too may be related to an earlier incident.

Police were called overnight to a ute which was caught in floodwater on Orara Way near Cowling Street. The male driver was able to get safely clear of the vehicle.

On Friday morning, the SES were called to the area and marked the vehicle with plastic tape so the public would realise the incident had been investigated.

Mr Horncastle expected the SES would have to attend a number of such incidents in the coming day as motorists may think it is now safe to try and cross roads under water.

“In reality it will take 24 to 48 hours for the waters to subside,” he said.

Meanwhile, Waterfall Way, the main road between Coffs Harbour and Armidale, remains closed as a result of a landslide between Darkwood Road and Maynards Plains Road.

The slope is currently unstable and unsafe for traffic to travel on, and Live Traffic NSW advises motorists to avoid the area.

Solitary Islands Way between Blackadder Road and Coral Street at Corindi Beach is closed in both directions due to floodwater.

Earlier

The rain event has already brought heartache and devastation to the Northern Rivers and South East Queensland.

The Clarence region is also experiencing major flooding.

By lunchtime on Monday, February 28, Coffs had moved into the shadow - as the rain intensified sharply.

Bray St - a known flood prone area in north Coffs - was cut on Monday morning, while water had partially covered two of the four lanes on the Pacific Highway near the showground.

The normally packed outdoor car park at Coffs Harbour’s major shopping centre - Park Beach Plaza - was largely empty on Monday as people tried to find a spot in the sheltered multi-storey tower.

A number of shoppers were gathering essential supplies, fearing they could become isolated.

Others were taking the big wet in their stride.

Jenny and Frank Jenkins had travelled from the Gold Coast - which was hammered by the storm system - for a holiday at Coffs Harbour.

Jenny and Frank Jenkins. Picture: Chris Knight

“We had booked the accommodation months ago and had to take it while we still could,” Mr Jenkins said.

“But there’s no point getting upset about it (the weather) as it’s no one’s fault.

“We’re hoping to go back (to the Gold Coast) tomorrow.”

Lyn Olsen moved to Coffs Harbour five years ago and, hailing from North Queensland, was unflustered.

“It’s par for the course. It’s rain so you just deal with it,” Ms Olsen said.

“In North Queensland I dealt with cyclones and I’ve still got the scars to prove it. It’s Australia, it’s what happens.”

Lyn Olsen. Picture: Chris Knight

Brian Holmes moved to the Coffs Coast from Bristol to retire seven years ago, and said the natural events which have rocked the district in the past few years were a part of life.

“It was that long ago we had drought and the fires. It is what it is,” Mr Holmes said.

Alyssa said she had just arrived in Coffs Harbour - moving here from the Central Coast to start work with the Department of Planning and Environment.

“It’s okay - I’ll be working in a shed so will be staying dry,” she said.

Further south, the Nambucca Valley has also copped a drenching.

The valley has recorded consecutive days of heavy rainfall - with 86.5mm to 9am on Saturday, 98 on Sunday and 83.5 on Monday in the gauge at Newee Creek just west of Nambucca Heads.

Longtime resident Kathleen Miller watched Lanes Bridge at Bowraville go under twice on Saturday.

She shares a house with her husband Greg and their friend John Harper - both of whom require regular health treatment.

“John’s supposed to be going to the doctor’s tomorrow so I don’t know what we’ll do if the road is cut - maybe call the SES,” Ms Miller said.

“If I’m not careful I’ll be going into the mental state because it’s all so much to be dealing with.”