Severe flood damage on the Upper Bucrabendinni Road.THE State Government's decision to declare this week's flood a Natural Disaster has been an answer to a prayer for Nambucca Shire Council mayor Cr Rhonda Hoban.
Cr Hoban said this year's string of weather dramas for her shire was unprecedented as far as she knew.
“I've been mayor for 12 months and I've had four natural disasters!” she said.
Bellingen Shire's flood event was also declared a Natural Disaster by Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan yesterday.
Nambucca Shire Council general manager Michael Coulter said the flood in the upper reaches of the river on Tuesday was bigger than the April and May floods.
The Nambucca Shire was inundated by torrential rain early this week, with falls of 300-500mm in less than 48 hours recorded in some areas, causing major damage in outlying areas of Missabotti, Taylors Arm, Burrapine and North Arm.
On Wednesday, Cr Hoban said without a disaster declaration the shire's ratepayers would be faced with an impossible financial burden.
“It is a welcome relief - I was wondering how we were going to manage,” she said yesterday.
“We will still have to go through all the design and costing processes, but we know the funding will be there and available.”
Cr Hoban said this week's flood had compounded the shire's financial issues from previous floods, with $15 million still outstanding from council's original $17 million claim for flood damage.
Johns Bridge at Missabotti has been lost and in some other areas bridges are still standing but approaches have been washed away so traffic cannot reach the bridges.
As an example of the financial burden imposed by flood repairs, she said the two-lane Johns Bridge would cost at least $1.2 million to replace and a rise of 1 per cent in council rates would raise only $70,000 in 12 months.
Minister Steve Whan said the natural disaster declaration provided for a range of assistance for residents, councils and business owners who have suffered property damage as well as helping to ensure councils were reimbursed for the cost of repairing public infrastructure.
One of the Nambucca Valley's largest vegetable farming operations lost 30,000 tomato plants for the third time this year when the Bowraville farm was submerged under two metres of water on Tuesday.
The Minister also thanked State Emergency Services volunteers who fielded about 80 calls and attended to flash flooding, fallen trees, leaking roofs and blocked gutters.
A spokesman for the Minister said he had visited the area during all three previous floods and had already seen photographs of damage from the latest disaster.
The damage bill for Tuesday's flood in Bellingen Shire currently stands around $300,000.
According to general manager, Mike Colreavy, this comes on top of the $18m of accumulated infrastructure damage sustained after the February, March and May floods.
“The initial assessments could of course go much higher but it certainly hasn't been a catastrophe like last time,” Mr Colreavy said.
Director of engineering, Mike Edsall, said the clean-up had already cost at least $50,000.
He said repairs to causeway damage next to Justin's Bridge at Darkwood were completed yesterday, much to the relief of worried residents.
“There is quite a lot of damage on Timboon Road at the spot where repairs from the previous flood had just been completed,” he said.
edited by Saudi Ali 30.10.2009
Cr Hoban said this year's string of weather dramas for her shire was unprecedented as far as she knew.
“I've been mayor for 12 months and I've had four natural disasters!” she said.
Bellingen Shire's flood event was also declared a Natural Disaster by Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan yesterday.
Nambucca Shire Council general manager Michael Coulter said the flood in the upper reaches of the river on Tuesday was bigger than the April and May floods.
The Nambucca Shire was inundated by torrential rain early this week, with falls of 300-500mm in less than 48 hours recorded in some areas, causing major damage in outlying areas of Missabotti, Taylors Arm, Burrapine and North Arm.
On Wednesday, Cr Hoban said without a disaster declaration the shire's ratepayers would be faced with an impossible financial burden.
“It is a welcome relief - I was wondering how we were going to manage,” she said yesterday.
“We will still have to go through all the design and costing processes, but we know the funding will be there and available.”
Cr Hoban said this week's flood had compounded the shire's financial issues from previous floods, with $15 million still outstanding from council's original $17 million claim for flood damage.
Johns Bridge at Missabotti has been lost and in some other areas bridges are still standing but approaches have been washed away so traffic cannot reach the bridges.
As an example of the financial burden imposed by flood repairs, she said the two-lane Johns Bridge would cost at least $1.2 million to replace and a rise of 1 per cent in council rates would raise only $70,000 in 12 months.
Minister Steve Whan said the natural disaster declaration provided for a range of assistance for residents, councils and business owners who have suffered property damage as well as helping to ensure councils were reimbursed for the cost of repairing public infrastructure.
One of the Nambucca Valley's largest vegetable farming operations lost 30,000 tomato plants for the third time this year when the Bowraville farm was submerged under two metres of water on Tuesday.
The Minister also thanked State Emergency Services volunteers who fielded about 80 calls and attended to flash flooding, fallen trees, leaking roofs and blocked gutters.
A spokesman for the Minister said he had visited the area during all three previous floods and had already seen photographs of damage from the latest disaster.
The damage bill for Tuesday's flood in Bellingen Shire currently stands around $300,000.
According to general manager, Mike Colreavy, this comes on top of the $18m of accumulated infrastructure damage sustained after the February, March and May floods.
“The initial assessments could of course go much higher but it certainly hasn't been a catastrophe like last time,” Mr Colreavy said.
Director of engineering, Mike Edsall, said the clean-up had already cost at least $50,000.
He said repairs to causeway damage next to Justin's Bridge at Darkwood were completed yesterday, much to the relief of worried residents.
“There is quite a lot of damage on Timboon Road at the spot where repairs from the previous flood had just been completed,” he said.
edited by Saudi Ali 30.10.2009
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