Central Coast flooding: Clean up and recovery well underway

Clean up and recovery efforts are well underway across the Central Coast after recent flooding as residents speak of the speed at which the water rose.

It’s been a week since major flooding levels peaked across the Central Coast.

Attention has turned to clean-up and recovery efforts with evacuated residents given the green light to return to homes with caution on Sunday.

Impacted property owners have not wasted time, piling streets with bulk waste collections along with piles and piles of sea wrack from the Tuggerah Lake.

Aftermath of major flooding in and around Lakedge Ave as piles of destroyed furniture and household goods are collected. Picture: Sue Graham

Piles of sea wrack line the streets around Tuggerah Lake. Picture: Sue Graham

Central Coast Council has been working overtime collecting bulk waste and working closely with Resilience NSW to support the community.

The Express caught up with Chittaway Bay’s Hugh Pennell a week after he was evacuating his granddaughters at the height of the Tuggerah Lake flooding on Wednesday July 6.

Mr Pennell’s house, along with many others on Aloha Drive, flooded with assessors coming and going over the past few days.

Hugh Pennell pictured during the height of the flooding at Chittaway Bay. Picture: Sue Graham

Hugh Pennell at his home in Chittaway Bay after the flooding. Picture: Sue Graham

The garage and ground floor unit of the house copped the most damage with fridges, tools and furniture unrepairable. His car has also had to be stripped after it took on water.

“All the neighbours are in the same boat,” he said.

“It takes three to four days to go through the house and then three to four months to get everything back to normal again.”

Mr Pennell moved his caravan to higher ground on Tuesday as flood waters continued to rise however wasn’t quick enough to save his car which also took on water.

“It rose that quickly,” he said.

He and his wife have lived at the house for five years and this was their fourth flood.

Long Jetty’s Jim McNamara has lived on Tuggerah Rd for the past 30 years and said this was his fifth major flood.

Jim McNamara who was affected by floods at his home on Tuggerah Parade, Long Jetty is looking forward to a relax and watching the footy. Picture: Sue Graham

“I’ve never it seen it so bad or rise and fall so quickly,” he said.

“This was the first time my car was flooded. I feel bad for those that have to throw furniture out and start again.”

However Mr McNamara said community spirit remained high with neighbours helping each other and checking in.

“What can you do … it’s never going to stop completely,” he said.

“Just have a beer and enjoy the footy tonight.”

Another Chittaway Bay woman, who did not want to be named, said “we’re just tired, facing weeks and weeks of clean up”.

Meanwhile council has issued an alert regarding hazardous surf and high tides until Thursday.

Wamberal Beach on Wednesday as an alert is issued for hazardous surf and high tides to 2.2m on Thursday. Picture: Sue Graham

“Areas that have experienced coastal erosion in previous severe weather events may experience low-lying water due to forecast high tides (2.2m for Thursday),” a statement read.

“Council staff are still assessing beaches after large and powerful swell conditions (4.3m SSE) overnight on Sunday 10 July. This was joined by a high tide of 1.8m which caused large amounts of sea foam to spread over beaches.”

Moderate erosion has been reported at North Entrance, Lakes Beach, Killcare and MacMasters Beach.

Assistance is available at two Recovery Hub locations at The Entrance Community Centre, Battley Ave, and Spencer Community Hall, 4776 Wisemans Ferry Road. Both are open 10am-4pm.

A tree uprooted at South Tacoma. Picture: Sue Graham

The Central Coast has also been included in the State Government’s Natural Disaster Declaration with people eligible to apply for a range of special assistance measures.

The one-off Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child is available to those who have suffered a significant loss because of the floods, including severe damage to a home, or serious injury.

Since July 1, council had to closed roads at 210 locations and have undertaken 2673 pothole repairs in over 400 different locations/streets across the Central Coast.