# Stories From The Hunter



## Keith the Beer Guy (9/6/07)

Just a call to the Hunter and Gosford Guys to make sure all have weathered the storm - or the storm so far.

The wind is picking up again and a measly 20-30mm is predicted for the near future. 

Goatherder are you anywhere near the river, their predicting a 12+ metre peak later tonight.

Unbelievable weather.

It took me 45 minutes to travel from Marks to my place in Watt St. last night. Couple of scary moments as cars around me were being abandoned by their owners. Downtown Newcastle is packed with sightseers checking out the stranded ship at Nobbies. The carnage around the place is pretty fierce, countless trees and branches scattered around the place. Lots of streets and roads closed. Plenty of emergency services in action. 

It reminds me a lot of the earthquake.

Hope you and all your loved one are O.K.

Keith


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## Gough (9/6/07)

Keith the Beer Guy said:


> Just a call to the Hunter and Gosford Guys to make sure all have weathered the storm - or the storm so far.
> 
> The wind is picking up again and a measly 20-30mm is predicted for the near future.
> 
> ...



Glad to hear you are OK Keith. How'd the shop fare? My parents place copped some flooding as did our little place in Wickham. It is pretty hard getting my head around it all from up here - I wanted to head back to help Mum and Dad this arvo but the highway is closed apparently  Best of luck to all down there - hope the weather tonight isn't as bad as predicted.

Shawn.


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## Trent (9/6/07)

Up here in forster we were stranded as a town (or two) for half the day yesterday, all the roads were closed due to flooding! Apparently at Diamond Beach, they copped 270mm in just 4 hours. Luckily the eye of the storm passed over us about lunch on friday, and the wind changed direction, so the waves have been pumping ever since. 
Hope everyone else is OK, and that their cars and breweries didnt get washed away.
Today was beautiful and sunny up until about 2pm here, and we are only about 100km north of Newy. Very strange weather. Lets just hope that ship doesnt break up and lose its fuel load into the ocean. That, and the rain heads inland instead of dumping on an already drenched town.
All the best
Trent


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## Weizguy (9/6/07)

I got released from work yesterday just before my lunch at about 1:15 PM due to power outage (I work in a Call Centre).

Drove home... you Beauty -arvo off!
Some small puddles in the driveway.

Dragon turns up about 20 minutes later, and sez that I have to fetch kids later that arvo.
Went to grab the kids and got home in the rain. Puddles were starting to conglomerate.

Moved the cars to higher ground and went to ensure that our garden equipment was OK. I could see the water coming in and I had to move fast. Secured a few bits and moved some beer gear too. My new box of Kozel dark was moved to a shelf above the previous max flood level.

Well, today the water level is up to my butt, and there are beer bottles and styrofoam boxes floating eveywhere under the house.

Here are some pix, shot from the verandah. First shot, my driveway and car. 2nd shot is the backyard, vegie patch and trampoline.






BTW, the lager fridge has about 2 ft of water in it. Hope it doesn't affect the Kolsch too badly :lol: 

Seth


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## blackbock (9/6/07)

OMG, Medowie really is a swamp!


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## MVZOOM (9/6/07)

You guys should get some relief - doesn't seem to be much on the horizon - trust everyone's ok!

http://mirror.bom.gov.au/products/IDR033.shtml

If you lose too much, we'll all band together and re-stock ya, bottle by bottle, I'm sure! 

Cheers - Mike


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## pokolbinguy (9/6/07)

260 MM of rain here in Pokolbin in the last 48 hrs.... rather wet around this neck of the woods.


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## Sammus (9/6/07)

fun fun stuff, I tried to rescue my girlfriends mum from work last night, lingard hospital was rained in pretty bad. I was in a big troopy snorkeling wherever wasnt blocked off. some of the deepest crossings I've done! couldn't get to lingard though, SES don't like it when people drive through flooded roads for fun...


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## Weizguy (9/6/07)

blackbock said:


> OMG, Medowie really is a swamp!


Why did U ever doubt me?

Seth


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## goatherder (9/6/07)

Things are OK up here for the time being. The Hunter is predicted to peak above the levee banks in Singleton so there will be some problems there overnight. I live a little way out of town but I'm still unsure how I'll be affected. My place backs onto a creek which feeds the Hunter. Whilst the Hunter has been rising steadily all day, my creek has been falling since it peaked about yesterday lunchtime. Whilst I'm taking this as a good sign I'm not convinced I'm out of trouble yet - previous floods in my area have resulted from backflow out of the Hunter.

Just for some perspective, compared to the drought of the last 3 years, we got half a year's rainfall in 2 days.

This is the New England Highway bridge at Singleton at 4pm this afternoon:





We are pretty fortunate compared to the Newcastle, Lake Mac and Central Coast people. We didn't cop anywhere near the beating they did last night. We only lost power for about 9 hours - I hear it may be out for days down their way.

Thanks for your concern Keith and everyone else. Good luck for you Newcastle, Lake Mac and Central Coast guys - I hear it's going to be another wild night for you.

I hope guys like Tony, craigm and peve are OK - I heard things are pretty hairy down their way with the flood waters.

Stay safe everyone.


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## Duff (9/6/07)

Amazing photos, at least the car and hopefully the Kolsch is OK seth  

Goatherder, how far does the Hunter have to flow to the ocean from your place? If backflows have occured, hopefully there is not a coinciding high tide.


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## goatherder (9/6/07)

I'm 100-150 kms from the coast Duff. Hopefully that's far enough for the tides to not bother me...


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## Duff (9/6/07)

Well hope it goes well for everyone up there tonight.


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## craig maher (9/6/07)

goatherder said:


> I hope guys like Tony, craigm and peve are OK - I heard things are pretty hairy down their way with the flood waters.
> 
> Stay safe everyone.



OK for the moment - has been a couple of very interesting days.
The forecast for tonight and tomorrow seems pretty grim though.

Maitland [Belmore Bridge] 
- exceed moderate flood level [9.1 metres] around 
9 pm tonight 9/3/07.
- exceed major flood level [10.7 metres] around 
3am to 6am 10/6/07
- rise close to the predicted peak of 11.3 metres by
noon 10/6/07 and peak at this level around 6 pm 
with major flooding.

Lets hope they have over estimated!

Cheers 

Craig


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## Kingy (9/6/07)

yea i grew up in newy and have spoken to alot of mates and all my family up there just today and all have no power and some have been told not until tuesday until power is restored :huh: 

so be prepared for some future post by the guys that havent been able to get on there computer as of late.

and all the best for them people and hope you get through this rough time


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## m_peve (9/6/07)

All OK here in Bolwarra. We live on a big hill and now have spectacular water views across to Woodville. We don't seem to have had the trouble other places have had. My brother lives in Lambton and things were pretty hairy there for him last night apparently
The predictions for high water marks on the river may cut us off from town for a while but we have supplies so all should be sweet. Can't say the same for the office. I work in Carrington and I imagine that it may be under water now.
All the best to everyone for tonight. Hopefully things will start to improve tomorrow!!

See Yah
Pete


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## Keifer (10/6/07)

""yea i grew up in newy and have spoken to alot of mates and all my family up there just today and all have no power and some have been told not until tuesday until power is restored huh.gif ""

I just saw on the news that it may be up to next weekend till some homes have power. That would suck. We were lucky and only had 10min blackout.


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## T.D. (10/6/07)

My folks live up in the hunter. I was up there over the weekend. I've seen nothing like it.

The wall on our big dam gave way and sent several megalitres through the vineyard into the creek. It all happened within a couple of hours. Took out one of the two roads out of the property with it. Definitely the wettest I've ever seen it up there and we've been there since the early 80s. Here are some pics of the carnage unfolding.


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## KoNG (10/6/07)

shit.... it really did break through in the end didnt T.D...! crazy stuff.

(might need a bit more than low range to navigate that now..! :lol: )


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## SJW (10/6/07)

Well boys I am back on-line. What a couple of days we have has down here. I left work at Newcastle City Council at 4pm Friday. After taking 2 hours to get halfway home, on the way my car got flooded and I recued a young girl who's car got washed away. She had to jump in thru my window but we all got out ok. The car is trashed but at least its a Council car.
On to more important things, now that I have cleaned up the house beer production can not be stopped. Tomorrow I am brewing Barry's Choc Porter and (sorry Barry) I am going to call it..........

ANY PORTER IN A STORM!


STEVE


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## Tony (10/6/07)

I have had in interesting time

I was working at Aston coal north of singleton on friday.

Started work at sunup in pouring rain, was soaked to the skin by 9am running around helping commission new plant.

At about midday my brother rang me from muswelbrook......... "where are you" he asked.

"AHton coal, why?"

Get in your car and go home..... NOW! he said, i just came through muswelbrook form Bengalla mine and i saw caravans fleating across the golf course. The mines are shutting down and they are closing down muswelbrook too.

Oh shit i thought, I was on site working with the boss  I went and told the boss what i had just been told. He ran it through his head for a few seconds, went and looked out the switchrooms door, frowned and said...... "you piss off home and ring me with a road report as you go"

Wasnt long and i was in the bumper to bumper stream of trafic heading out of the fast flooding valley. 

I got to branxton and hit the plug of traffic, and got a phone call....... the roads closed.

SHIT!

I was stopped accross from the intersection that heads down the back way through pokolbin, past bluetounge brewery.

Ahhhhhh im in a company car so over the medium strip i went (crunch bang squeel) along with a few followers and onto an adventure or water course driving in a ford falcon we went  

I got home safe, 2 1/4 hrs for a 45 min drive.

i got home to find all the water from all the houses up the hill from me was funning into my pool, down the back steps and out under the fence.

My pool now looks like a muddy dam.

here are some pics. some of my pool, during the rain and after and my trip home (camera phone pics on the move)

cheers


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## Weizguy (10/6/07)

Struggled down to the dungeon/swamp tonight. Rescued several bottles from underwater, including 3 bottles of the Murray's Anniversary ale (10% - barleywine) and decided to drink one. I'm about half way through it and thought that I should post b4 I can't no longer.

...and the taste? and the taste, my boy...it's balanced and roasty, hoppy, toffeeish and bitter, and of course, alcoholic. Smells of caramel, malt and fruitty hop.

Pix will be going to the "What's in the glass thread", as soon as I can get the camera to talk to the PC.

Seth  

BTW, went belly up in the swamp on my way out (sober) after tripping over an obstacle. You would have laughed. I didn't...was cold and filthy :blink:


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## goatherder (10/6/07)

Awesome pics TD - that's a serious failure in the dam. I hope the damage isn't too costly.

Nice pics Tony. I managed to get out of work (near Muswellbrook) early on Friday so I avoided all the traffic you got.

I gott out and took some pics around the area yesterday and this morning. Mostly just flooded farmland and cut roads thankfully. The locals haven't lost much more than fences.

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/goatherder/Flood

I'm glad to hear everyone is OK. Best of luck to the Maitland crew for tonight. Maitland central is being cleared out and I hear water supplies are being cut in the greater area soon.

Stay safe.


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## Jazzafish (11/6/07)

Had a Gig up at Toukley last night, the beer garden was underwater! I was told that there was a jetty under water too! 

Flooding was everywhere... Basically every low spot I could see from the freeway became a dam.

Hang in there guys


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## FNQ Bunyip (11/6/07)

Wow Guys ,, Glad everyone is OK ..

Tony , I know the pain of a flooded pool . At least you don't have to worry about weather there is a croc in it after the water gos down.. We live in a flood zone so we expect it , But I feel for you guys down there that dont ..

TD, wow , Great shots .. I hope you can get it fixed and refilled befor the long hot summer when your going to be needing it. Was it dry befor this event ? 


Hope all gos well with the clean up people , We live with heap of rain up here , Its sad that people have lost there lives from a bit of a storm , last year with cyclone Larry the north must of been very lucky.. 


Best wishes , Might be some good brew names to come out of it all.. 

:beer:


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## bigfridge (11/6/07)

Glad to hear that everyone is ok.

I had the usual fun running around on Friday arvo picking up kids etc in the pouring rain and flooding roads. It was the heaviest rain that I have ever seen and then it started to thunder and hail !

We got an inch of water in the downstairs rooms which isn't any great drama as the floor is slate - except for the bedroom which now has soggy carpet.

We lost power Friday night and didn't get it back until Sunday arvo. Trees down everywhere.

One benefit of being a brewer is that you always have plenty of gas bottles and burners around to keep the family fed.  

Anyone know how MHB faired ?

David


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## Trent (11/6/07)

I dunno how MHB went, but I am pretty sure that Keith woulda been working there on sat, so if it was flooded out, he probably woulda posted (if he has power). We can only hope that he is up high enough that the water didnt get in there, and that the building is good enough to not leak like a sieve. It would be an awful blow if he got flooded out, I might give him a call later, see how it all went for him. Sorry to hear about all the other damage, like TD's road, and Les' trip into the murky depths . I hope that you have insurance for the carpet, Dave. I would call the insurace company, get in touch with a carpet cleaner (who usually have dryers) and then maybe pull up the carpet and remove the underlay, which will be cactus. But talk with the insurance mob before ya do that, sometimes thats what they demand, other times not. Havent seen how Maitland fared last night, but I had me fingers crossed. I knew a few people that lived right by the river, and werent leaving their homes, so for their sakes, I hope the SES were overestimating river heights.
All the best
Trent


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## MHB (11/6/07)

Hi all
We survived, sounds like we all made it OK, I am glad to hear no one got hurt or lost too much.

The shop is fine tho there was water lapping at the front door a couple of times.
Apart from some electrical problems (2 of the 3 phases are still down) and that no one can phone in, while I can now phone out (and the broadband just started working again). No major problems just some water damage.

I grew up in North QLD, the last couple of days reminded me of the weather during cyclone season; exciting in the riding one hell of a good roller-coaster sort of way

Haply the hop and yeast fridges are on the one working phase and the malt didnt get rained on so all's well and thanks to those who asked.

Cheers

MHB


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## Tony (11/6/07)

Glad you and the shop are ok Mark  

I was just in maitland. These pics are about 1 hour old.

the water has dropped about 1 foot from its peak last night.

cheers


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## shmick (12/6/07)

Glad to hear everyone's ok.

I picked up my w/e supplies from MHB's Fri lunchtime and nearly didn't make it back to Lambton. Cars got swept away not long after I went through.

Left work 5pm in pouring rain and gridlocked traffic (Jesmond round about was closed) and just squeezed through Wallsend before it went under also.
Was down to 40kph in places on the F3 heading south in the middle of the storm dodging fallen trees, rivers running across the road and a moron semi driver trying to break a land speed record with absolutely no visibilty and even less chance of stopping.

The car radio reports said home was competely cut off so I was imagining spending an uncomfortable night in the car but managed to get around the worst spots and arrived home just as the power came back on.

Not as bad as Tony, but 2hrs for what's normally a 50min drive wasn't fun.
Worst part was I left my hops in the fridge at work. It was only SWMBO who stopped me going back for them.

Got a mate whos house is still underwater at Chittaway. He reckons the worst part isnt the water but the mongrels whove been looting the evacuated houses. Low lifes if ever there were.


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## Steve (12/6/07)

TD - great but sad pics....just wondering how the hell you had the balls to stand on the dam wall in the fourth pic down to take the pic as it was collapsing :blink: Hope the rest of you are all well.
Cheers
Steve


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## bugwan (12/6/07)

Talk about droughts and flooding rains...unbelievable.

Melbourne has received no more than 3mm in the last week - all this rain has passed us by. If only it fell more evenly...

Good to hear no-one up there is injured, at least.


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## Sammus (12/6/07)

Did anyone happen to get any photos of Newcastle city at night (particularly around the junction...) I was going to attempt a few photos with my phone but figured there would be heaps to go round. I'm yet to see any!

It was a pretty amazing sight, I was driving down streets in a snorkel clad troopy with water lapping up over the bonnet, feeling sorry for whoever owned any of those cars in the big pile that had drifted together and blocked of the road, all with water up to the roof. I even saw a washing machine float past! - and that was down one of the streets I dared attempt, there were places that looks much much worse that I didnt even bother trying to get down...

oh and before anyone starts telling me off for being one of the dickheads out having a blast 4WDing through the flooded streets, I was on a rescue mission, and I didn't disobey any road blocks or get in anyones way or cause any kind of harm...


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## bigfridge (12/6/07)

Sammus said:


> Did anyone happen to get any photos of Newcastle city at night (particularly around the junction...) I was going to attempt a few photos with my phone but figured there would be heaps to go round. I'm yet to see any!




http://abc.net.au/newcastle/


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## T.D. (12/6/07)

Steve said:


> TD - great but sad pics....just wondering how the hell you had the balls to stand on the dam wall in the fourth pic down to take the pic as it was collapsing :blink: Hope the rest of you are all well.
> Cheers
> Steve



I made good use of the zoom! :lol: All the same it had the heart racing a bit walking out on that wall!


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## Ducatiboy stu (14/6/07)

Anyone want to buy a used boat...???


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## Tseay (14/6/07)

Received these today - not sure if the attachement will work




Sammus said:


> Did anyone happen to get any photos of Newcastle city at night (particularly around the junction...) I was going to attempt a few photos with my phone but figured there would be heaps to go round. I'm yet to see any!
> 
> It was a pretty amazing sight, I was driving down streets in a snorkel clad troopy with water lapping up over the bonnet, feeling sorry for whoever owned any of those cars in the big pile that had drifted together and blocked of the road, all with water up to the roof. I even saw a washing machine float past! - and that was down one of the streets I dared attempt, there were places that looks much much worse that I didnt even bother trying to get down...
> 
> oh and before anyone starts telling me off for being one of the dickheads out having a blast 4WDing through the flooded streets, I was on a rescue mission, and I didn't disobey any road blocks or get in anyones way or cause any kind of harm...



View attachment Newcastle_Storm_4.pdf


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## Steve (15/6/07)

TD - hope you went and retrieved your yabbies from the vineyard  

Cheers
Steve


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## stephen (25/6/07)

T.D. said:


> My folks live up in the hunter. I was up there over the weekend. I've seen nothing like it.
> 
> The wall on our big dam gave way and sent several megalitres through the vineyard into the creek. It all happened within a couple of hours. Took out one of the two roads out of the property with it. Definitely the wettest I've ever seen it up there and we've been there since the early 80s. Here are some pics of the carnage unfolding.
> 
> ...


RAF 617 Squadron revisited...


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## snagler (5/7/07)

What a time to have an emergency appedicitis, I went to my GP with severe adominal pains, he said shit get your arse to Maitland hospital its going to blow. He rang through to the hospital to arrange the operation.

The missus drove me to the hospital, a trip that would normally take 5 minutes from my place. Two hours later we got there. There were times whilst stuck in gridlock that I thought Id get out and hobble there - if there was a gun in the glove box I would have shot myself


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## Kingy (5/7/07)

snagler said:


> What a time to have an emergency appedicitis, I went to my GP with severe adominal pains, he said shit get your arse to Maitland hospital its going to blow. He rang through to the hospital to arrange the operation.
> 
> The missus drove me to the hospital, a trip that would normally take 5 minutes from my place. Two hours later we got there. There were times whilst stuck in gridlock that I thought Id get out and hobble there - if there was a gun in the glove box I would have shot myself



i wouldve thought that a normal household/public toilet would relieve an ass from abdominal pain


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## snagler (5/7/07)

Kingy said:


> i wouldve thought that a normal household/public toilet would relieve an ass from abdominal pain



Oh it gets worse Kingy, I get to the hospital and report my status and the doctor says "so you say you havent had a shit for 7 days, well we will have to sort that out before we remove your appendix"

5 minutes later the only male nurse Ive ever seen (anywhere) comes in and says "Im here to give you an enima"

Oh the pain - The missus said I went bright red (my face that is). :blink: Jees Im getting sick of useing that smiley


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## Tony (5/7/07)

TMI dude....... TMI 

but knowing you........mmmmm i will leave that alone 

I did hear about the mcdonalds drive through you know 

hehe


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## Weizguy (5/7/07)

I'll happily post some pics from my "fludde " tomorrow, when I get some batteries in my camera.

Seems that the Dragon has misplaced the battery charger, but I can use AA batteries in place of the Lithium pack.

The insurance company "hired geek" assessor was here yesterday and took some snaps too, coz they need to replace few items. Maybe he took the photos as "fraud insurance" against me claiming for more stuff than I have. If so, my insurance money will be going to another "Insurance thief" in the future. They conned me out of replacement of some items last time with comments such as, "were you planning to use that ever again", and "what was it worth to you", rather than, "What will it cost to replace these items that you felt the need to keep for many years".

Don't get me started. I have more discontent than most people at the moment.

Pix tomorrow, or ASAP.

Les out


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## Weizguy (10/7/07)

Here's a couple of photos I shot b4 I started to clean up.

Both full and empty bottles everywhere and note the tide mark on the fridge. Hope it didn't affect the lagering Kolschie.








Seth


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## Doc (11/7/07)

Aw that sucks Seth.
Hope the fridge didn't die, or if it did insurance covers a new one.
Looks like the fridge was water tight so fingers crossed on a good brew.
Time to switch to kegging for you I think though. Too many bottles 

Doc


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## Tony (11/7/07)

OH bugger.

what a mess.

Did the Rauchbier survive mate?

cheers

PS. I thought i had a lot of bottles  Im buying stocks in the bottle brush company before you clean up


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## Gough (13/7/07)

Bloody Hell Les, only just caught up with these pics - how did things end up mate? Insurance mob swindling ya, or are you winning? Hope the Kolsch survived it all. The karma police will surely be on your side for a while now mate  Best of luck with it all Les,

Shawn.


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## lucas (14/7/07)

snagler said:


> Oh it gets worse Kingy, I get to the hospital and report my status and the doctor says "so you say you havent had a shit for 7 days, well we will have to sort that out before we remove your appendix"
> 
> 5 minutes later the only male nurse Ive ever seen (anywhere) comes in and says "Im here to give you an enima"
> 
> Oh the pain - The missus said I went bright red (my face that is). :blink: Jees Im getting sick of useing that smiley


sorry to laugh at your misfortune but that's funny as heck!  Comedy Gold!


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