Singleton calling for more cash as road repair bill blows out

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Singleton Council is calling for more funding from the State and Federal Governments, as its road repair bill blows out to $15 million.

Following a resolution on Tuesday, Council will join with Local Government NSW and the Country Mayors Association of NSW to declare a Statewide Road Emergency in the wake of floods throughout the year.

The toll on the local and regional road network is now estimated at $2.5 billion.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore says Council's willing to put in $5 million, if the State and Federal Governments each do the same.

The town has already received $250,000 from a NSW pothole fixing fund.

Broke Road at Broke after the floods in July.

Hunter residents invited to SES flood forums

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter residents are being encouraged to attend a series of community flood forums, starting this Saturday.

It's a chance to hear from the State Emergency Service and provide feedback from the community on past and future flood responses.

The first local event is being hosted at Wollombi RFS Shed at 12:30pm on Sunday 23 October.

It'll visit Broke Community Hall at 12:30pm on Saturday 5 November, and Hinton School of Arts at 12:30pm on Sunday 6 November.

Hinton residents invited to community flood meeting

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Residents in Hinton and surrounds are being invited to a community meeting on Thursday evening to discuss past flood events and how to prepare for more in the future.

It's being held at the Hinton School of Arts from 6pm to 7:30pm.

Police, SES, Resilience NSW, and Port Stephens Council representatives will address the community, alongside a chance for local residents to have their say.

The Hunter's currently on flood watch, with severe weather and heavy rain forecast through the weekend.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington says the area could be cut off again, and residents need to be ready.

"It's really important to get everyone together to listen to suggestions and ideas, because local knowledge and experience is key to getting better outcomes," she said.

"Everything's on the table tonight, from preparation, mitigation, and response."

"It's a broad conversation that needs to be had, but at the end of the day, what we need to ensure is that everyone in the community is prepared for what's to come."

Hinton was cut off by flood waters in July. Image credit: Port Stephens SES.

Broke Hosts First Village Fair after July Floods

BY DARCY MCGAVIN

Broke will be holding its annual Village Fair and Vintage Car Display this Sunday, helping community morale and local businesses after damaging flooding in July.

The event is expected to bring in 5,000 to 6,000 people and will host over 300 vintage cars and motorbikes and 60 stalls, with music, whip cracking, bush poetry, food trucks, markets and artisan stalls.   

Broke Village Fair President Jody Derrick says people are keen to get out and about.

"It'll be a great opportunity for people to get together and have a chat about good things," she said. "There's been a lot of doom and gloom so it will be great for locals to get together and see its not all doom and gloom."

"We have some arts and woodwork. We'll have Stan Ray doing some chainsaw displays. There's plenty to see and lots of live entertainment all day."

The event will be open at 9am and entry is a gold coin donation.  

Image credit: Broke Village Fair.

Back Home flood grants opened up for Hunter residents

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter residents displaced by the recent floods now have access to grants of up to $20,000, after the Back Home scheme was extended to the region.

Renters, landlords, and homeowners across Cessnock, Maitland, Port Stephens, and Singleton are now eligible in the Federal-State joint initiative.

The money can go toward a range of clean-up costs, including utility inspection and reconnection, replacement or repairs of household appliances or computers and tools, or essential structural repairs.

Tenants can also use the money to move to a new property altogether.

Broke community launches weekend flood appeal

BY DAKOTA TAIT

We're being urged to visit Broke this weekend, as businesses prepare to reopen for the first time since the devastating flood event.

The flood appeal will be running from the 15th to the 17th of July, in hopes to raise money for the township, where more than 50 houses were severely impacted.

It's believed the flood on July 6 was the worst flood in the village's 198-year history.

Local businesses, including winery cellar doors, restaurants and accommodation, are urging people to spend a weekend and spend money in the region.

Winemaker and businessman Andrew Margan says he's hoping the community comes out in support.

"The community of Broke, government bodies, and all of the people who have been on the ground helping to try and put our wonderful community back together again can only do so much," he said.

"We urge people to come and visit the cellar doors and restaurants, buy wines online or in retail outlets. 

"We are also asking for donations via our community Gofundme, with 100% of funds going directly to those left without homes and insurance policies that don’t cover flood damage."

Hunter Valley Steamfest cancelled third year in a row

 BY RAVELLE EATON

The 2022 Hunter Valley Steamfest has been cancelled due to recent major flooding.

The railway network and city infrastructure across Maitland have suffered damage, making the event now impossible to go ahead.

It's the third year in a row the event's been cancelled, because of COVID-19 restrictions. 

This year's event was already postponed in March, due to wet weather.

Steamfest is expected to resume next year on 22 and 23 April 2023.

Gillieston Heights residents concerned as flood crisis continues

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Residents in Gillieston Heights say they're facing a crisis and in need of food and supplies, as floodwaters continue to cut residents off from both Maitland and Cessnock.

It's understood, as of Tuesday, ferry services from Testers Hollow were unable to run, due to bollards under the water blocking their way.

Locals say the shelves at IGA are bare bones, with little in the way of bread or basic foodstuffs.

Resident Kelly Renfrew says the emergency response is falling short.

"It's not up to scratch, it's not even comparable to last time," she said. "Last time the Salvation Army were doing helicopter drops. There were dry goods brought in. 

"People didn't have to go and pay $8.50 for a loaf of bread, people that don't have money."

Ms Renfrew has welcomed the support of Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison and Mayor Philip Penfold, but says there's little in the way of assistance from emergency services.

Gillieston Heights has been supported by helicopter in prior flood events, but residents say most of the donations this time have come from members of the public on the outside.

A number of locals have taken to social media, saying they've been unable to organise food deliveries with SES crews. 

"There's varying degrees of economic capacity here," Ms Renfrew said. "We have a huge cohort of elderly, there's disabled people, we have group homes here. It's quite a varied crowd.

"And then you've got the people like myself that have been in [COVID] isolation for a week and have struggled to get anything delivered. 

"I had to ask the Mayor for bread."

"We had 2,000 people last time - we've got in excess of 5,000 here as of today. I don't know how they think this is going to work."

Residents are being urged to be patient, but people in urgent need of food, supplies, or medical support are urged to contact the SES at 132 500.

The SES is holding a community meeting with residents at the Gillieston Heights Community Hub at 6pm on Tuesday evening.

Image credit: Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison.

Hunter surf lifesavers praised for flood response

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's surf lifesaving volunteers are being commended for their efforts in assisting emergency services as part of the flood response.

Members have been part of rescue and relief efforts across swollen waterways across Singleton and surrounds in recent days, including food drops, transportation, and medical assistance.

Hunter Surf Lifesaving President Henry Scruton says he's hoping there's respite on the horizon.

"Possibly a couple more days," he said. "We're hoping that the sun does eventually show itself and start to dry things out, and for the rivers to recede a little bit to allow local residents up there the ability just to travel."

A pair of lifesavers crossed the Wollombi Brook yesterday evening, after a Bulga woman called for assistance for her ten-month-old son, who had stopped breathing.

Swansea-Belmont members Lee Archer and Shane Dowsett helped ferry the boy back across the waters, where an ambulance brought him to hospital in a stable condition.

Mr Scruton says it's a testament to the hard work of their volunteers.

"All these guys are volunteers," he said. "They volunteer the entire summer season and now they're backing up as volunteers to assist the community."

"That's what they're trained for and they do it well."

"Thank you to all the guys that are putting the time out away from their families. They've all got full-time jobs, but they're thrown it in to go and assist the community."

Image credit: The Australian.

Cessnock Declared Natural Disaster Area

 BY IAN CROUCH

The federal government has declared a natural disaster in the Cessnock Local Government Area as the flood emergency continues.

It's one of 23 local government areas in Sydney and NSW where the declaration has been made including the Central Coast.

The declaration clears the way for joint Commonwealth-State assistance to become available under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

It means immediate assistance is available to eligible residents whose home and belongings have been damaged by storms and floods since June 27.

Cessnock Council can also receive help with the cost of cleaning up and restoring damaged roads and essential public assets.

Small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations are eligible for concessional loans and freight subsidies.

Meanwhile,the SES says major flooding is likely at Bulga due to significant river rises along the Wollombi Brook.

Minor flooding is expected along the Lower Hunter River at Singleton and Maitland along with the Paterson River at Gostwick.

 

Disaster relief payments extended to the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Federal Government has extended its Disaster Recovery Payment across the Hunter today. 

Financial relief is now available across Cessnock, Maitland, Port Stephens, Muswellbrook, Singleton, and Upper Hunter. 

It's a one-off payment of $1000 per eligible adult, and $400 per eligible child, for people suffering significant losses in the flooding disaster.

It comes after local MP's pushed the Commonwealth to expand the program to more LGA's.

Price of Oysters Set to Soar for Hunter Residents

BY KAYNE STEPHENS

The price of oysters could soon soar, with Hunter oyster farmers concerned about the impact of recent rain and flooding.

The industry has faced restaurant closures, bushfires, and floods. 

A statewide shortage is being forecast after a reported $17 million in lost stock and equipment damage after recent floods.

Many farmers are yet to fully assess the damage.

Now farmers are concerned an inundation of freshwater rainfall will affect how oysters grow and mature.

It takes up to three years for oysters to be ready for sale.

Karuah oyster farmer Dean Cole says prices may increase in that time.

"It basically goes on supply and demand. I definitely think there will be an increase over the next couple of year, or maybe even sooner," he said.

Mr Cole says because the oysters take so long to mature ready for sale, there isn't yet a clear picture of supply.

"Here locally, we still have our oysters for sale but it won't show its true effects for a couple of years based on who's lost what and if we can actually get stock to replace the one's we've lost," he said.

The biggest concern for Hunter farmers is the inundation of fresh water. 

Oysters grow in salt water, a process which can be disturbed by severe rainfall. Dean Cole said juvenile oysters are far less resilient to the elements.

"A lot of them have died for different people," he said.

"A lot of them have washed out to sea in other estuaries, in Karuah here they're dying from the freshwater but up north it's more so the floodwater taking all the oysters and infrastructure with it," Mr Cole said.

A shortage could affect the availability of fresh local oysters in restaurants and shops in the state, leading to more stock being transported from other regions and adding to cost.