Marilyn Wright of Swanson Street said while the floodwater was not as bad as it was in the June long weekend storm of 2007, the water rose much more rapidly.

“It just came up so quick,” she said.

Mrs. Wright lives in a two-storey house, so while her neighbours were quick to evacuate she stayed in the house and had to simply watch as the floodwater engulfed the area, and even killed some of her birds.

“The water was just so high I couldn’t get out,” she said.

“I was just standing up in the kitchen, just watching it and thinking ‘oh no.’”

Mrs. Wright lost three rosellas and 11 budgerigars, as well as all of the belongings under her house and in the shed, including a washing machine and dryer, a quad bike and all of her husband Ron’s tools.

She said she started to panic as the water rose to just five steps from the top before it started to recede.

“I just thought ‘stop rising,’” she said.

“I was scared shitless.”

Mr. Wright said he believes the problem was made worse by the wall that has been placed underneath Bob Wells Bridge after the 2007 storms.

He said this has created a barrier, and traps everything that tries to flow underneath it.

“It’s got nowhere to go,” he said. 

Mrs. Wright said that over time, mining residue has filled Swamp Creek which has also added to the problem.

She said there was a pipe in the creek that could be walked under 20 years ago.

“Now you can’t even see the pipe,” Mrs. Wright said.

“They need to dig that creek out.”

The Wrights have been visited by a few council representatives and Cessnock MP Clayton Barr, but Mrs. Wright said they are still without answers.

“They’ve just been saying they’re going to look into it,” she said,

“I just wish they’d do something, not more environmental studies.”

While they understand the issue is widespread; the couple say they feel forgotten about in Weston.

“I know other people are in the same situation, but we need to at least be recognised,” Mrs. Wright said.

She said they want to move away, but would struggle to sell their home.

“I hate it, I don’t want to be here,” she said.

“We can’t sell; we won’t get anything for it.”

The Wrights are very appreciative for their friends and family, who have already taken time off work to help them clean up the damage.

“No one would believe the work it’s taken just to get here,” Mr. Wright said.

“It shows how good friends can be.” 

They now face a long road ahead, as the last flood kept people out of their homes for up to nine months.

“We’re the only ones who get to actually live here,” Mr. Wright said.

“It’s the worst mess and I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.”

“All you do now is just pick yourself up and keep on going,” Mrs. Wright said.

“What else can you do?”