A notoriously flood-prone part of South Cessnock is slowly becoming secure, as multi-million-dollar upgrades continue to progress.
Some of the early improvements include a 470m-long earth bund wall and associated drainage structures, which are being built from the Quarrybylong and McFarlane streets’ intersection towards Evans Street.
It’s part of the second stage of Cessnock City Council’s nearly $6 million South Cessnock Flood Mitigation Project, funded jointly by Subsidence Advisory NSW, Hunter Water, and the federal and state governments.
The first phase included the diversion and widening of a waterway downstream from the Kearsley Creek and Oliver Street channels, which wrapped up in April.
According to Cessnock City mayor Dan Watton, the increased flooding is due to more than 40 years of mine subsidence.
“It’s great that Cessnock City Council teams are progressing these upgrades to improve flood resilience,” he said.
“Without these infrastructure enhancements, 16 homes would be at risk of flooding and 71 residential yards would go under water in another one-hundred-year flood.”
Over the past four decades, three significant flooding events have occurred… in 1990, 2007 and 2017.
“The bund wall lowers the average flood depth by 14cm relative to average pre-subsidence levels and, critically, will provide safer pedestrian access to homes during future one in one-hundred-year flood events,” Cr Watton said.
The final stage of the project will involve the construction of a small levee parallel to Quarrybylong Street, and the raising of the road near Edgeworth Street.
Current estimates predict the development to be completed by September.
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