The condition of a New Lambton landslip property has gone from bad to worse, with recent heavy rains causing additional destruction.
After another bout of severe weather at the weekend, estimated at more than 100mm of rainfall, homeowners are losing further hope, by the second, as their properties slowly crumble into the abyss.
On 23 May, 15 dwellings across Russell Road, Victoria Street, Baker Street and Portland Place were evacuated due to a significant landslip.
The subsequent impacts have had far-reaching consequences, particularly for Caroline Garred.
One of 39 affected residents, her house bore the brunt of the damages.
“Ours was a write-off from day one,” she said.
“So, we knew it at to be demolished from very early on.
“We were the worst affected because we were at the bottom of the gully and, so, we’re probably holding the weight of five or six houses going up.”
It was the first home Ms Garred had bought for her and her family, only finalising the purchase in December 2024, just six months prior to the incident.
But, the latest heavy rainfall has added insult to injury.
“We got alerted of the damage by our neighbour opposite,” she recalled.
“They called us to say they heard a loud bang at about 11pm on Saturday and when they woke up in the morning they saw the damage.”
The back wall of Ms Garred’s home has since completely collapsed, leaving the insides exposed.
“It is still devastating,” she said.
“The fact that it is such a beautiful spot and we bought it because it was private and tranquil, we pretty much had our own enchanted wood.
“So, it is devastating that the whole area has changed and the thought that it may be re-zoned or decommissioned, we just don’t know what the future holds.”
Following months of deliberation and delays, City of Newcastle (CN) has locked in a start date for a geotechnical report of the area.
The survey, expected to take up to 22 weeks, will identify the cause of damages and whether or not the land is safe to reinhabit.
“It’s pretty shocking but not a surprise given the amount of rain and the fact that nothing’s actually been fixed and we’re a long way away from that,” Ms Garred told the Newcastle Weekly.
“I was thinking the whole house could’ve gone at that point, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did go this week.”
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