The campaign to raise the road at Testers Hollow has picked up momentum, after politicians and Maitland City Council formalised their support of the cause.
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Frustrated Gillieston Heights residents started a petition in April to see Testers Hollow raised after floodwater isolated the community for several days during the superstorm.
The online petition has more than 1500 signatures and a paper petition has also been circulated in the suburb.
“People have always talked about it, raising the road to bring it above the flood level,” petition creator Sonia Warby said.
“It is time for something to be done.”
Cessnock Road was cut at both sides of Gillieston Heights and during the chaos of the rising flood a grandmother, Anne Jarmain, was swept into the water and died.
The tragedy prompted community uproar and a renewed push to see the road fixed.
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison has written to the Minister for Roads Duncan Gay to get something done.
“I understand that now there may be more will across the whole of the government at every level to support significant flood mitigation works at Testers Hollow to resolve the flooding of the road and prevent another tragedy from happening again,” Ms Aitchison wrote.
The member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr and the federal member for the Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon have also called for action on the regular flooding of Testers Hollow.
Ms Aitchison believes the cost would be between $8 million and $20 million, depending on the option chosen to improve the road.
Maitland City Council has formalised its support to fix Testers Hollow but has also taken the opportunity to widen the scope of the road works.
Councillors unanimously voted to approach the state and federal governments to improve the New England Highway and Cessnock Road, with the highway as the priority.
“The New England Highway can be cut with a minor amount of rain, it is almost a joke,” Cr Arch Humphery said at the council meeting.
“We should concentrate on that [instead of Testers Hollow].”
Some residents were shocked that the highway was prioritised over Testers Hollow. Nicole Holstein from Gillieston Heights said she was flabbergasted at the decision.
“I think it is selfish,” she said.
“Was there any one of those councillors trapped with us for six days?
“Did they have to have their food dropped in by helicopter and their kids rationing their two-minute noodles?
“To say it is not as important is ridiculous.”
The community will hold a meeting at the Gillieston Community Hall on May 24 at 3.30pm to talk about Testers Hollow and promote the petition.
