Thursday 16 June 2016

Stockton bracing for next storm front

BY JESSICA ROUSE

With a predicted east coast low expected to hit on the weekend, the Hunter is expected to be in the clear, however residents and business owners are bracing for the worst.

The storm that hammered the Hunter two weekends ago, left Stockton Beach losing 10 metres of dune, sending waves up to the doors of the Surf Lifesaving Club. 

"The damage was confined to the beach and the beachfront, the shoreline; the main concern was future high seas would take further shoreline and encroach onto the buildings of the surf club," club president Trevor Upton said.

Structures at Stockton Surf Lifesaving Club are under threat including the beachside carpark and a sheltered barbeque, with the beach littered with debris. 

Newcastle City Council are being called upon to clean up the beach, make emergency repairs and make it safe for both the club and the community. 

Upton says another major concern is that the beach currently isn't able to be accessed by the surf club or it's lifesavers. 

"We haven't got any access to the beach in the vicinity of the surf club and right along the beach. The only response would be Nobby's or Newcastle or somewhere around there".