April Rain Event impacts

•  Vera St – Road to Railway Station. Sydney Water have completed their stabilisation of the sewer pipes via the use of bulka bags containing a stabilising mixture. Council have a design to stabilise under the roadway to allow one lane to be opened to enable traffic in to the carpark and buses to use the “Transport Interchange” under flow control (unknown at the time of writing this report whether that flow control will be traffic lights or humans). Council are working on a design to restore the road to full width but this will take time. Allowing traffic to the car park is the priority.

•  Whitty Rd.  Council Geotech and Stormwater teams are monitoring the impact of the subsidence on Whitty Rd and it has been indicated that work to stabilise the area should be starting shortly with design being undertaken for a long-term solution. Council are also investigating the culvert under Walker St for damage and stability. Council to provide more information on completion of these investigations.

•  Tunnel Rd – opposite and beside 17 Tunnel Rd Council geotechnic team have reviewed the area on the railway side of Tunnel Rd where the creek has undermined the side of the roadway (orange barriers in place) and Council’s Stormwater team reviewed the creek from Foster St to Tunnel Rd beside No. 17 Tunnel Rd and found that a property owner has impacted the easement and creek flow and been requested to restore both.

•  Postmans Track/The Crescent  Council Stormwater Manager was advised that Council had filled in the old stormwater drain when Postmans Track had been resurfaced years ago. The issue of the flooding in this area in April was from rainwater flowing over the Helensburgh curb that Council used to replace the old stormwater drain. More to come on this as Council investigates. Anyone with photos or drawings of the old drain in Postmans Track is asked to forward a copy to NF1 as residents are indicating the old drain worked better than the current one.

•  Lady Carrington Rd (Otford Rd to Otford Railway Station) Council Geotech team are reviewing investigations into a collapse into the Hacking River on the side of the roadway. NF1 is waiting for information on a solution to stabilise the roadway to come from Council. Damage to the Railway Weir further down the road at the Hacking River (Heritage-listed as it was the weir that water was pumped from to the old water tanks at Otford Station for rewatering of the steam engines) was also referred to Council. Some residents indicate the damage is a result of loaded heavy trucks travelling across the weir.

Otford Community Hall Replacement

Latest plans from Council have been reviewed by Otford Community Inc (licensee of the hall) and they have advised Council of no gable roof and glass doors as discussed with Council officers back in February (at NF1 meeting). Council advised that the next stage is DA. NF1 has asked about the further community consultation that was promised in February by Council staff. It appears this will be a prefabricated building trucked in.

Helensburgh Community Centre and Library

No new news on the new Centre and Library. We are waiting on Community Consultation plans from Council. Many people have told NF1 that residents want the new centre to be either where the old community centre is (with parking across the road, with playground) or new centre with parking on the eastern side of Walker Street (and the old centre turned into green space, with playground and public toilets). The four quilts that were hanging in the old centre and the restored original Helensburgh Station sign are stored for inclusion in the new centre.

Councillors who have attended NF1

In this current term of Council, the Lord Mayor Cr Gordon Bradbery, Cr Cameron Walters and Cr Richard Martin are the only Councillors to have attended an NF1 meeting.

Helensburgh Town Centre Work

Still on track for completion before the end of this financial year, with notice of potential delay due to sandstone/stone mason delivery. Confirmation of power location for potential events received. Ramp and footpath concreting was to be done by end of May. Ramp to roadway on footpath is for a disabled parking spot, so that a van with rear wheelchair lift can park and unload a wheelchair to use the ramp.

Draft Operational Plan and Budget

June 24’s meeting is when Council will pass or modify the draft Operational Plan and draft Budget for 2024/25. A week before, the business papers for the meeting with be available on Council’s website.

Council Elections in September

Council will go into caretaker mode in August.

The next NF1 meeting will be on Wednesday, July 10 at Thistle’s Club Room. There is no meeting in June.