Sand bag filling sites made available at Helensburgh, Bellambi and Fairy Meadow

IN response to the severe wet weather, three sand bag filling sites have been set-up across the northern suburbs.

Sand deliveries will be taking place at Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, Bellambi Boat Ramp overflow car park, and Fairy Meadow Beach car park from 10am today (Wednesday, March 2, 2022). Each site has about 10 tonnes of sand available.

Residents will need to bring their own shovels, and about 1,000 bags for sand have been provided by the SES and distributed between the sites.

Where sandbags aren’t available, the SES recommends the use of empty heavy-duty garbage bags, grocery bags, pillowcases or grain bags.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the move to set up the additional collection sites was in response to community concern about the weather forecast.

“This morning Council’s works depots had approximately 200 sandbags available at our three depot sites and we have seen a significant number of people turn up to collect these bags,’’ he said.

“It was an unprecedented response and so we have looked at how we can make it easier for more people to be able to have access to sandbags. That’s why we are bringing online four locations where people can fill their own rather than having people need to visit Council’s depots which are busy worksites.

“I encourage people to be mindful of others if they are out filling bags, to keep a social distance and to only take what they need. The scenes from our northern neighbours in Lismore and around Brisbane can cause alarm and distress. What we need to do right now is support one another and while we have some challenging weather conditions forecast for us, Wollongong’s geography is different to these other cities.’’

The new collect-and-fill locations mean that community members no longer need to visit one of Council’s three depot sites at Bulli, North Wollongong or Unanderra to pick up bags.

For information on how to prepare and what you should do to stay safe in floods and storms visit the SES website.

If you need help during a flood or storm, call the SES on 132 500.

If someone’s life is at risk, call 000.

The locations are:

• Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh.
• Bellambi Boat Ramp overflow car park.
• Fairy Meadow Beach car park.
• Fred Finch Park Playground, Berkeley

Subscribe to the latest Bulli & Clifton Times’ news stories

PAYPAL TIP JAR

YOU can support the The Bulli & Clifton Times and/or the Looking Back local history websites with a donation through PayPal. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs, and help support independent journalism and local news media. You can leave a small tip here of $2, or several small tips, just increase the amount as you like. Your support helps provide an independent and free source of local news and information.

A$2.00

OR DONATE BY DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD

Don’t have PayPal? Instead, you can make a small donation towards the publishing of The Bulli & Clifton Times and/or the Looking Back websites with your credit or debit card. If you would like to support my work, you can leave a $2 donation here by tapping or clicking on the button below. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs.