For those of you interested in the effects of the floods in the Hunter River Valley, here is a good link to the ABC's website, Newcastle, with a gallery of "Listeners Photos".The basic story is on the ABC News site:
Readers may have seen comments from "Gaye from the Hunter". She lives a mere stone's throw from the Hunter River at Singleton. She assured me today that she and her family are safe and dry, but cut off from the rest of the Hunter Valley.
This photo from the ABC website, shows why! The Hunter River is just about touching the road-level of the bridge. Scary stuff, with a huge river rushing by just below.
Bill Hunter - in "Newsfront"
Maitland, downstream from Singleton, is next in line to get hit by the floods.The floods in Maitland featured in Phillip Noyce's 1978 film "Newsfront", starring the irrascible Bill Hunter.
This is the Luskintyre Bridge, in Maitland, but according to the RTA website, there is a similar bridge - the Dunolly Ford Bridge - near Singleton. Note the clearance under this Bridge, at normal times, compared to the top image.
This is an RTA photo of the Redbourneberry Bridge, at Singleton. It is a different bridge, but over the same river, in the same local area. You can see the height above the river - that is the point I am trying to show.SEE GAYE'S COMMENTS BELOW - APPARENTLY THIS FAVOURITE OLD BRIDGE HAS BEEN REPLACED, NOW.
CLICK ON "COMMENTS" TO READ HER COMMENT AND MY RESPONSE.
2 comments:
hi Denis,
I have some interesting observations to share with you regarding the Hunter Valley floods, but will do so tomorrow.
But did you know that the wonderful Redbournberry Bridge that you have featured in your blog entry has been replaced?
I was indeed a fabulous bridge. We locals called it the "Bent Bridge" as it did indeed have an angular bend in the middle, which seemed to defy logic. Towards the end of its life, I used to tell my very young granddaughter as we travelled over it to our house out of town, that it was the "ricketty bridge". And it was indeed very ricketty.
A few years ago a fully laden garbage truck had one wheel go through the bridge, and that prompted repairs, a permenant 'one-way' traffic flow with traffic lights, and a replacement bridge to be commissioned.
The ornate pilons and steel structure have been preserved in part as a walking bridge.
I did not get to see the peak of the flood in the town of Singleton as I was unable to get through flood waters into town. But, as you say, I did get a birds eye view of the rising hunter from my front step.
Cheerio for now,
Gaye
There you go, working from the Internet has some drawbacks - my information was not current. However, it did serve to show how far above the river these bridges are set - in normal conditions.
I look forward to hearing more from "Gaye from the Hunter".
At least she is safe, and dry, and has electricity. Not a bad result, given the events of the last week.
Denis
Post a Comment