ONGOING wet weather across our region continues to challenge both our infrastructure and our communities.
For many residents – especially those in our rural areas – persistent rain has caused major disruption, damaging roads, isolating properties, and making our day-to-day life that much harder.
While the impacts have been felt across the entire community, the effects on our rural areas have been particularly severe.
In places like Seaham and Hinton, floodwaters have cut off the community and caused significant damage.
Right across Port Stephens, our local road network has taken a major hit, with heavy rainfall and floodwaters impacting both the road surface and the underlying drainage infrastructure.
We know there are thousands of potholes right across our extensive road network – some small, others large and dangerous, creating safety hazards and adding frustration for drivers.
In some cases, the road surface has been damaged and washed away completely.
My fellow Councillors and I have seen the damage first hand out in the community and we’re listening to your concerns and frustrations.
We know how hard it has been, and I want to assure you – we’re on it.
Council crews are working around the clock.
They’re out assessing damage, prioritising repairs, and coordinating with local emergency services to restore access and support those in need.
Over the next few weeks, as we shift from response to recovery, our focus is clear – reconnect those most affected, work with emergency providers, and advocate for funding from the NSW Government for the financial support our community requires to recover.
We will be prioritising urgent road repairs first – especially in high traffic and high speed areas – but we won’t be just patching potholes.
Our Roads Acceleration Program (RAP) is already underway.
This means rebuilding roads to a higher standard, improving resilience, and ensuring our essential infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of our growing community.
We know this hasn’t been easy.
But together – with patience and persistence – we’ll get through this.
Stay safe and look out for each other.
By Cr Leah ANDERSON, Port Stephens Mayor
