‘Mini cyclone’ brings flash flooding
On Friday, Mr Saunders released a statement confirming that, while the Rawsonville Bridge was on the list of NSW timber truss bridges to be preserved, after a review of the conservation list of bridges developed in 2012 and community feedback, “the bridge will be removed and replaced with a new concrete bridge”.
“Transport for NSW is currently working with Dubbo Regional Council on the strategic design for the new bridge, with the proposal to be presented to the community once planning is complete,” Mr Saunders said.
A MINI CYCLONE whipped through properties south of Dubbo on Sunday, cutting a 150-metre path of destruction through houses, sheds and trees.
Meanwhile, a torrential downpour caused localised flash flooding in the same area, and similar drenching rain also damaged areas near Geurie.
Ivan Mcdonnell’s family was enjoying the cooler change under a pergola at the rear of their home when he warned everyone to get inside.
Minutes later the wind tore the structure out of the ground and was flung over the top of the house into two vehicles out the front, writing them off.
“It was an incredible 15 minutes. The rain and wind was frightening, but we’re just glad no-one was hurt,” Mr Mcdonnell told Dubbo Photo News.
“The vicious downpour filled out dams and turned our paddocks into lakes for a while, and just a couple of days later we get a dust storm so bad you can’t even go outside,” he said.
Not far away to the west of Dubbo, aircraft operator Wings Out West didn’t escape unscathed, the airstrip’s windsock was shredded with just the remnants hanging from the pole.
Kevin Parker lost a giant tree, ripped out of the ground at its roots, and plenty of fences were washed away, floodwaters also pushing rocks larger than 300mm into fences along with woody debris.
Further east, some Geurie properties were also hit by a flash flood.
One resident told Dubbo Photo
News there was half a paddock of topsoil over the Comobella Road on the corner of Fitzroy Street and in front of the showground as the creeks have flooded from the amount of rain to the north of the village.
A rain gauge on top of the hill in Hill Street has 8.5mm, yet gauges on Westella Road showed 50mm and others on the other side of the town clocked up just 2mm, testifying to the incredibly patchy nature of the storms.