Premier tours flood-ravaged Hunter region as disaster clean-up begins

The Advertiser

24-05-2025

Testers Hollow re-opened on Saturday, May 24, as the region recovers from historic flooding that has left residents cut off over the past three days.
Areas around Gillieston Heights, which had been isolated when the water cut the roadway, were reconnected at the weekend, Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said, but warned that the road to recovery was still ahead.
SES deputy commissioner Daniel Austin said the service was tracking 148 ongoing emergency warnings across the Hunter Valley and Mid North Coast. Still, as skies cleared for the first time in days at the weekend, it was expected that number would diminish as the first stage of the multi-agency emergency response shifted to reconnecting isolated communities and returning evacuated residents to their homes.
Premier Chris Minns said some 600 people had been rescued over the past three days, with SES crews tracking 864 incidents throughout the flood zone in the 24 hours to Saturday, 44 of which were flood rescues.
Some 10,000 properties have been damaged, Mr Austin said, as 2400 volunteers and other emergency services work to assess the fallout.
Ms Aitchison, the Maitland MP, said the state's road network had taken a beating in the weather, even as the recovery continued from the previous flooding disaster in 2022, but said parts of the M1 that had cut freight and transport were expected to be reconnected by 6pm Saturday. Areas about Maitland that had been isolated were gradually regaining road access.
She urged residents to follow emergency services directions, avoid floodwaters, and follow transport directions as road crews work to clear the way.
Premier Chris Minns said hardship grants would be made available for eligible residents displaced or impacted by the disaster, but it was unclear when applications would open.
"When you have such a large number of people that are accessing this payment, we want it to be seamless," he said. "That takes a few days in terms of the technology and the system. It won't be long, but it is not today."
As emergency services move toward clean-up operations across the disaster zone, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said the number of incidents crews were responding to was gradually decreasing.
"We are seeing the transition to the next stage, which is clean-up," he said. "We have seen inspired efforts today.
"Last night, there was an Australian-first drop-off of medicine to a home that desperately needed it and had been cut off by the floods."
"There were fodder drops in agricultural areas that have been affected."
"We will be here for the long run. This is a strong, resilient community, and we'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them."
The Williams and Paterson rivers were falling on Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology said, as waters peaked at 0.66 metres at Belmont at Lake Macquarie about 7pm Friday night, May 23.
Rivers fell below the minor flood level at Wollombi Brook, but major flooding continued downstream at Bulga.
"River levels remain elevated along the Lower Hunter River, where minor flooding is occurring at Maitland and Raymond Terrace," forecasters for the Bureau said. "Small renewed rises are possible during Saturday as upstream flows from Wollombi Brook arrive."
The details of this report are developing. It may be updated.
Testers Hollow re-opened on Saturday, May 24, as the region recovers from historic flooding that has left residents cut off over the past three days.
Areas around Gillieston Heights, which had been isolated when the water cut the roadway, were reconnected at the weekend, Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said, but warned that the road to recovery was still ahead.
SES deputy commissioner Daniel Austin said the service was tracking 148 ongoing emergency warnings across the Hunter Valley and Mid North Coast. Still, as skies cleared for the first time in days at the weekend, it was expected that number would diminish as the first stage of the multi-agency emergency response shifted to reconnecting isolated communities and returning evacuated residents to their homes.
Premier Chris Minns said some 600 people had been rescued over the past three days, with SES crews tracking 864 incidents throughout the flood zone in the 24 hours to Saturday, 44 of which were flood rescues.
Some 10,000 properties have been damaged, Mr Austin said, as 2400 volunteers and other emergency services work to assess the fallout.
Ms Aitchison, the Maitland MP, said the state's road network had taken a beating in the weather, even as the recovery continued from the previous flooding disaster in 2022, but said parts of the M1 that had cut freight and transport were expected to be reconnected by 6pm Saturday. Areas about Maitland that had been isolated were gradually regaining road access.
She urged residents to follow emergency services directions, avoid floodwaters, and follow transport directions as road crews work to clear the way.
Premier Chris Minns said hardship grants would be made available for eligible residents displaced or impacted by the disaster, but it was unclear when applications would open.
"When you have such a large number of people that are accessing this payment, we want it to be seamless," he said. "That takes a few days in terms of the technology and the system. It won't be long, but it is not today."
As emergency services move toward clean-up operations across the disaster zone, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said the number of incidents crews were responding to was gradually decreasing.
"We are seeing the transition to the next stage, which is clean-up," he said. "We have seen inspired efforts today.
"Last night, there was an Australian-first drop-off of medicine to a home that desperately needed it and had been cut off by the floods."
"There were fodder drops in agricultural areas that have been affected."
"We will be here for the long run. This is a strong, resilient community, and we'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them."
The Williams and Paterson rivers were falling on Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology said, as waters peaked at 0.66 metres at Belmont at Lake Macquarie about 7pm Friday night, May 23.
Rivers fell below the minor flood level at Wollombi Brook, but major flooding continued downstream at Bulga.
"River levels remain elevated along the Lower Hunter River, where minor flooding is occurring at Maitland and Raymond Terrace," forecasters for the Bureau said. "Small renewed rises are possible during Saturday as upstream flows from Wollombi Brook arrive."
The details of this report are developing. It may be updated.
Testers Hollow re-opened on Saturday, May 24, as the region recovers from historic flooding that has left residents cut off over the past three days.
Areas around Gillieston Heights, which had been isolated when the water cut the roadway, were reconnected at the weekend, Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said, but warned that the road to recovery was still ahead.
SES deputy commissioner Daniel Austin said the service was tracking 148 ongoing emergency warnings across the Hunter Valley and Mid North Coast. Still, as skies cleared for the first time in days at the weekend, it was expected that number would diminish as the first stage of the multi-agency emergency response shifted to reconnecting isolated communities and returning evacuated residents to their homes.
Premier Chris Minns said some 600 people had been rescued over the past three days, with SES crews tracking 864 incidents throughout the flood zone in the 24 hours to Saturday, 44 of which were flood rescues.
Some 10,000 properties have been damaged, Mr Austin said, as 2400 volunteers and other emergency services work to assess the fallout.
Ms Aitchison, the Maitland MP, said the state's road network had taken a beating in the weather, even as the recovery continued from the previous flooding disaster in 2022, but said parts of the M1 that had cut freight and transport were expected to be reconnected by 6pm Saturday. Areas about Maitland that had been isolated were gradually regaining road access.
She urged residents to follow emergency services directions, avoid floodwaters, and follow transport directions as road crews work to clear the way.
Premier Chris Minns said hardship grants would be made available for eligible residents displaced or impacted by the disaster, but it was unclear when applications would open.
"When you have such a large number of people that are accessing this payment, we want it to be seamless," he said. "That takes a few days in terms of the technology and the system. It won't be long, but it is not today."
As emergency services move toward clean-up operations across the disaster zone, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said the number of incidents crews were responding to was gradually decreasing.
"We are seeing the transition to the next stage, which is clean-up," he said. "We have seen inspired efforts today.
"Last night, there was an Australian-first drop-off of medicine to a home that desperately needed it and had been cut off by the floods."
"There were fodder drops in agricultural areas that have been affected."
"We will be here for the long run. This is a strong, resilient community, and we'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them."
The Williams and Paterson rivers were falling on Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology said, as waters peaked at 0.66 metres at Belmont at Lake Macquarie about 7pm Friday night, May 23.
Rivers fell below the minor flood level at Wollombi Brook, but major flooding continued downstream at Bulga.
"River levels remain elevated along the Lower Hunter River, where minor flooding is occurring at Maitland and Raymond Terrace," forecasters for the Bureau said. "Small renewed rises are possible during Saturday as upstream flows from Wollombi Brook arrive."
The details of this report are developing. It may be updated.
Testers Hollow re-opened on Saturday, May 24, as the region recovers from historic flooding that has left residents cut off over the past three days.
Areas around Gillieston Heights, which had been isolated when the water cut the roadway, were reconnected at the weekend, Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said, but warned that the road to recovery was still ahead.
SES deputy commissioner Daniel Austin said the service was tracking 148 ongoing emergency warnings across the Hunter Valley and Mid North Coast. Still, as skies cleared for the first time in days at the weekend, it was expected that number would diminish as the first stage of the multi-agency emergency response shifted to reconnecting isolated communities and returning evacuated residents to their homes.
Premier Chris Minns said some 600 people had been rescued over the past three days, with SES crews tracking 864 incidents throughout the flood zone in the 24 hours to Saturday, 44 of which were flood rescues.
Some 10,000 properties have been damaged, Mr Austin said, as 2400 volunteers and other emergency services work to assess the fallout.
Ms Aitchison, the Maitland MP, said the state's road network had taken a beating in the weather, even as the recovery continued from the previous flooding disaster in 2022, but said parts of the M1 that had cut freight and transport were expected to be reconnected by 6pm Saturday. Areas about Maitland that had been isolated were gradually regaining road access.
She urged residents to follow emergency services directions, avoid floodwaters, and follow transport directions as road crews work to clear the way.
Premier Chris Minns said hardship grants would be made available for eligible residents displaced or impacted by the disaster, but it was unclear when applications would open.
"When you have such a large number of people that are accessing this payment, we want it to be seamless," he said. "That takes a few days in terms of the technology and the system. It won't be long, but it is not today."
As emergency services move toward clean-up operations across the disaster zone, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said the number of incidents crews were responding to was gradually decreasing.
"We are seeing the transition to the next stage, which is clean-up," he said. "We have seen inspired efforts today.
"Last night, there was an Australian-first drop-off of medicine to a home that desperately needed it and had been cut off by the floods."
"There were fodder drops in agricultural areas that have been affected."
"We will be here for the long run. This is a strong, resilient community, and we'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them."
The Williams and Paterson rivers were falling on Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology said, as waters peaked at 0.66 metres at Belmont at Lake Macquarie about 7pm Friday night, May 23.
Rivers fell below the minor flood level at Wollombi Brook, but major flooding continued downstream at Bulga.
"River levels remain elevated along the Lower Hunter River, where minor flooding is occurring at Maitland and Raymond Terrace," forecasters for the Bureau said. "Small renewed rises are possible during Saturday as upstream flows from Wollombi Brook arrive."
The details of this report are developing. It may be updated.