The big clean-up has begun at Wollombi, after last week's deluge resulted in the town's biggest flood since 1949.
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The Wollombi Brook peaked at 14.21 metres last Wednesday morning - 1.1 metres higher than the June 2007 flood - with the water reaching the roof of the iconic Wollombi Tavern.
Tavern owner Chris Books said while there's a long road ahead, he hopes the pub will be partially open by next week, although the campgrounds will be closed for some time longer.
"We've got no power or water, and we've lost basically all of our stock and kitchen equipment," he said.
"But the basic clean-up has been done, the beer lines have been checked.
"A bit of it's day-by-day, but we may be partially open some time next week, with a temporary kitchen and bar set up.
"I'm being optimistic but realistic."
Locals have turned out in droves to help with the clean-up effort, joining Australian Defence Force personnel, SES and RFS volunteers and council crews.
Mr Books said the community support has been great. "That's one of the reasons you live in small country towns. It's all about community," he said.
After the Black Summer bushfires and COVID lockdowns, and a couple of smaller floods in March last year and this year, this flood is yet another blow for the popular tourist village.
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If you want to help the Wollombi Tavern, the Illawarra Hotel is holding a fundraiser where you can buy a 'virtual' beer to help the pub "get back to doing what they do best". Donations can be made at Humantix.
A week after the flood peaked, many properties in the Wollombi Valley remain stranded due to flood roads and landslips.
Laguna Public School P&C has started a fundraising campaign to help raise funds to fix private roads that have been ripped apart by floodwater (read Madeline Link's report here).
Meanwhile, a recovery assistance point will be open at Wollombi Community Hall on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week, with representatives of Resilience NSW, Cessnock City Council, Service NSW, Service Australia, Mental Health, Legal Aid, Red Cross and the Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network in attendance.
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Krystal Sellars
Krystal Sellars is the Senior Journalist at the Cessnock Advertiser. Born and raised in Cessnock, she started her journalism career at the Advertiser in 2006 after completing a Bachelor of Communication at the University of Newcastle. Contact her on krystal.sellars@cessnockadvertiser.com.au.
Krystal Sellars is the Senior Journalist at the Cessnock Advertiser. Born and raised in Cessnock, she started her journalism career at the Advertiser in 2006 after completing a Bachelor of Communication at the University of Newcastle. Contact her on krystal.sellars@cessnockadvertiser.com.au.
