Storm-struck Wamberal residents savage council inertia

Frustrated residents in Wamberal spent Monday afternoon packing up their homes while authorities ushered people out of the street.

Wamberal Beach residents salvage family valuables. Picture: John Grainger

Frustrated residents of Ocean View Drive in Wamberal spent Monday afternoon packing up their homes while police and the State Emergency Service ushered people out of the street.

Residents were given a two-hour window around low tide to collect what they could before the power was cut and their homes were cordoned off, with authorities saying it could be a month before they are allowed to return to their central coast homes.

In those four weeks, it will be illegal for families to enter their beachfront properties while full assessments of the damage are carried out, leaving many households homeless.

At the weekend, 18 beachside properties were deemed “high-risk” after last week’s damaging surf thrashed the sea wall and caused two luxury homes to partially collapse into the sea.

An extraordinary council meeting was held on Monday night to update Ocean View Drive residents, many of whom want urgent action taken, including the resignations of mayor Lisa Matthews and deputy Jane Smith.

The Central Coast Council and emergency services are co-ordinating a response to help prevent further damage to the homes and to remove residents, but homeowners are asking for the powers to be taken from council’s hands.

Chris Roger, who lives in the coastline community, said his neighbours have made multiple attempts to safeguard their homes only to be denied by the council.

“We have had residents who have applied to put piling under their decks, which got knocked back. The council said ‘No, you can’t protect your house’ at their cost,” Mr Rogers said.

“So we can’t protect our own homes at our cost, the council doesn’t want to do anything … Nothing ever happens.”

Central Coast Council’s Scott Cox has said previously that residents have been able to take steps to protect their homes. “If residents with … engineering advice need to do work to save their own home, the council will not be taking any action against them.”

However, houses have been left teetering on the edge of the coast, with others standing on concrete blocks after the land around them was swept away. Wamberal Beach has 66 erosion-affected homes.