FLOODING UPDATE | Thursday, July 7 3.23pm
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has sent out a text message alert warning of significant rises in the Hunter River.
Residents in Oakhampton, Lorn and Bolwarra areas are likely to become isolated and must be prepared.
Rural property owners in these areas are also being warned to move livestock and machinery to higher ground.
Everyone in these areas is urged to monitor the conditions and act early if they are at risk of flooding.
If you require assistance from the SES phone 132 500. In an emergency, phone Triple Zero.
ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE | Thursday, July 7 2.21pm
Raymond Terrace Road, East Maitland closed (at Three Mile Gully between Harvest Road and Metford Road)
NSW SES Maitland Unit has advised that the Hunter River at Maitland's Belmore Bridge may reach the major flood level of 10.50 metres overnight Thursday into Friday.
A number of closures remain in place across the city including:
- . Melville Ford Bridge at Aberglasslyn closed
- . Oakhampton Heights may remain isolated due to buildup of localised water
- . Windermere Road at Windermere is cut 2.8km from highway
- . Maitland vale road at Lambs Valley will remain closed - 400m east of Luskintyre road alternate route via Maitland Vale Road to Bolwarra
- . Maitland Vale road now closed at Rosebrook near the RFS station
- . Anambah road at Anambah will be cut 2.5km from the New England
- . Brush Farm Road and Pitnacree Road, Pitnacree (East Maitland) closed with Low lying farmland is inundated.
Meanwhile Lorn couple Chris and Melissa Marsh are bracing for some inundation to their Lorn property.
The couple had a somewhat anxious and sleepless night as heavy and consistent rain continued to fall and the Hunter River slowly nudged its way closer to their front door.
The couple's home is nestled on the banks of The Hunter River at Lorn, with views across the water to the city's Riverlink building and The Levee.
Chris told The Mercury late last night that he probably wouldn't get much sleep and that he would be monitoring the river level throughout the evening.
In the news:
"I never sleep when the river is on," Chris said.
"We have been playing the waiting game before I started to prep. It's the fourth time in two years we've prepped but never flooded.
"At the moment we're dry but expecting it to cover the yard," Chris said.
This morning Chris spoke with some relief and said it appeared the family home would escape unscathed however the situation took a turn closer to midday.
"I did see the revised levels. I'm hoping they are over estimating it. June 2007 it peaked at 11.30m approximately which was 10.5m peak in Maitland. Singleton peaked at 13.7m so it's now 10.5m peak," Chris said.
He said if he dodges this flood "it will be four out of four," he said.
The Mercury reported last night how Maitland's flood gates were closed and sandbagging started near Maitland Railway Station to manage threatening floodwaters.
NSW SES Maitland Unit latest update at midday Thursday said:
The Hunter River at Maitland (Belmore Bridge) may reach the major flood level (10.50 metres) overnight Thursday into Friday:
. Melville Ford Bridge at Aberglasslyn closed
. Oakhampton Heights may remain isolated due to buildup of localised water
. Windermere Road at Windermere is cut 2.8km from highway
. Maitland vale road at Lambs Valley will remain closed - 400m east of Luskintyre road alternate route via Maitland Vale Road to Bolwarra
. Maitland Vale road now closed at Rosebrook near the RFS station
. Anambah road at Anambah will be cut 2.5km from the New England
. Brush Farm Road and Pitnacree Road, Pitnacree (East Maitland) closed with Low lying farmland is inundated.
More than 6000 Hunter residents have fled to higher ground as rising water levels threaten their homes, while the New England Highway remains closed at Singleton and Maitland.
Meanwhile, Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison said she has written to the state and federal governments seeking an immediate natural disaster declaration for Maitland.
Singleton and Maitland were left off a list of 23 local government areas declared natural disaster zones earlier this week, which unlocked joint state-federal support for affected residents and businesses.
Cessnock was included on the list.
Late last night the SES issued a waring for residents of Millers Forest and Duckenfield to prepare to move to higher ground.
ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE:
9am Thursday - Maitland City Council has reported that the New England Highway is closed between Melbourne Street and old hospital roundabout. There is a detour via Lorn, but with long delays the quickest way from Rutherford to East Maitland is via The Hunter Expressway.
- Allandale Road, Allandale has reopened but please drive with caution.
- The following are now closed due to water over road:
- Athel D'Ombrain Drive, Maitland (from Railway Street to Bent Street)
- Lee Street, Maitland (at intersection with Nicholson Street)
- Victoria Street, Maitland
- The following remain closed due to water over road:
- Anambah Road, Gosforth
- Anne Street, East Maitland
- Brush Farm Road, Raworth
- Bungaree Street, Telarah
- Cessnock Road is closed at both ends, isolating Gillieston Heights. Police, SES and traffic control are in place.
- Cultivation Road, South Maitland
- Dickenson Road, Melville
- Duckenfield Road, Berry Park
- Eales Road, Berry Park
- Fitzroy Street, East Maitland
- Hinton Road, Phoenix Park between Phoenix Park Road and the Hinton bridge.
- Gullivers Lane, Louth Park
- Ken Tubman Drive, Maitland,Maitland between the High Street traffic lights and the St Andrews Street intersection. Note, that the Belmore Bridge is still accessible.
- Lawlers Road, Phoenix Park at the Phoenix Park Road end
- Louth Park Road, intersection with Trappaud Road, Louth Park
- Louth Park Road, Louth Park closed from Reflection Drive to Gullivers Road
- Luskintyre Road, Luskintyre between the Luskintyre Bridge and approximately 200m from the Windemere Road intersection
- Maitland Vale Road, Lambs Valley near the Luskintyre Road intersection
- Maitland Vale Road, Rosebrook (near Maitland Vale/Luksintyre RFS)
- Mcfarlanes Road, Morpeth
- Melbourne Street, East Maitland (under rail bridge/Brisbane Street and Adam Street)
- Melville Ford Bridge
- Mount Dee Road at Junction Street, Telarah
- Park Street, Maitland (corner of Park and Elgin Street)
- Pender Road, South Maitland
- Phoenix Park Road, Phoenix Park, between Morpeth Bridge and Hunter Street, Largs
- Pitnacree Road, Pitnacree
- Pywells Road, Luskintyre
- Scobies Lane, Oakhampton Heights
- Testers Hollow, Gillieston Heights
- Unicomb Road, Largs - the last 500m towards Phoenix Park Road
- Windermere Road, Windermere
- Woodberry Road, Millers Forest between Alnwick Road and Nilands Lane (detours in place)
- Drive cautiously. Water reported over the road at:
- Morpeth Road, Raworth near Linuwel School
- Campbells Road, Maitland Vale
- Grant Street, Maitland
- Glenarvon Road, Lorn
For further information regarding road closures and to stay up to date, see here mait.city/Alerts
Please stay safe by:
Keeping an eye on Live traffic updates www.livetraffic.com
Being aware of local alerts and road disruptions mait.city/ClosuresDisruptions
Calling SES on 132 500 for emergency help in floods and storms. In life threatening situations call triple zero (000) immediately.
Do you know you can subscribe to get full access to all Maitland Mercury stories? Subscribing supports us in our local news coverage. To subscribe, click here