Beaches stripped of sand

working on storm- related jobs. There had been more than 5500 calls for help and the failure of more than 250 traffic signals caused widespread chaos on the roads.

Temperatures also plunged, with Richmond in western Sydney recording its coldest April day since 1945, with 15C.

In Sydney, shops closed early, with David Jones sending staff home at 4.30pm.

The Kotara and Tuggerah stores closed at about 2.30pm.

At least 100 schools were closed, with many others telling parents that school was optional yesterday.

Emergency Services Minister David Elliott said Sydney ‘‘ hasn’t experienced weather anything like this since 2007”.

Massive waves pounded the coast, with a buoy off Sydney recording a wave that peaked at 11m before weather knocked out communications.

Surfers rode 1.5m waves at the normally tranquil inner harbour of Balmoral.

Many ferry services were cancelled. Manly Fast Ferry captain Troy Thompson navigated the 100- tonne ferry on its last run at 9.30am to Circular Quay yesterday.

He said winds reached 45 knots and swells reached 6m.

“It’s the roughest I’ve seen. Right on the limit but our boats are up to it,” he said.

“We loaded passengers so it was seating only and did not run to a timetable. Slow and steady.”

A Surf Life Saving NSW spokeswoman said upwards of 20cm of sand had blown off beaches across Sydney.

“All the sand has blown off the beach and is covering the roads, walkways and carparks. It’s like you’re parking on a great big sand dune,” she said. Meteorologists said the storms would be at their heaviest overnight but ease this morning, with rain to persist. THE vicious winds lashing NSW haven’t just damaged roofs and felled trees and powerlines, they have dramatically changed the landscape of many of Sydney’s famous beaches.

Bondi Beach was barely recognisable as shifting sands submerged the promenade, carpark, skate park and even made it as far as the steps of the Bondi Pavilion.

It was a far cry from the scenes on Saturday when warmer- than- usual weather had swimmers flocking to Sydney’s landmark beach.

It was a similar scenario at Cronulla, with Sutherland Shire Council forced to bring in earthmovers to shift sand covering nearby Mitchell Rd, while the sands at Coogee buried boats and the adjacent Dunningham Park.

A Surf Life Saving NSW spokeswoman said upwards of 20cm of sand had been blown off beaches across Sydney.

“All of the sand has blown completely off the beach and is covering the roads, walkways and carparks. It’s like you’re parking on a great big sand dune, I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said.

A pair of English tourists found themselves stranded at Bondi when their campervan became bogged in the sand.

Locals grabbed shovels to help the duo as winds gusted at more than 150km/ h.

The swell off Coogee and Clovelly beaches reached 10m, with average waves hitting 5m.

Clovelly, Tamarama and Bronte beaches as well as Gordons Bay were swallowed by walls of water and boats were flung into the shore.

The extraordinary surf conditions created waves where usually there are none.

Neilson Park in Sydney’s east and Balmoral Beach in the north played host to a number of opportunistic surfers taking advantage of the rare waves.

Winds were expected to become more severe throughout last night.