A lot of our local small towns are having problems with sinkholes and water lines. They are old, haven't been maintained, and so many businesses have closed since the pandemic, that there isn't as much tax revenue coming in. I'm not sure what the small towns will do. I hope they have a solution in the works.Locals in Sydney's east blast council after 10-metre sinkhole opens where landslip happened last year
17 hours ago
By Alexander Lewis
A sinkhole that emerged in Dover Heights on the night of the 11 May, following a significant out pour of rain. (ABC News: Alexander Lewis)
An eastern Sydney council has been blasted by residents after the end of their clifftop street collapsed into a 10-metre sinkhole.
Chunks of Oceanview Avenue at Dover Heights washed into the ocean on Saturday night when the ground gave way during heavy rain.
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers worked for several hours to divert water from homes, but not before a waterfall formed on the property of former American footballer Colin Scotts.
"It was like a bomb went off," Mr Scotts told the ABC.
A torrent raged past his house, covering the pool area with mud as it flowed into the sea.
"The house was shaking …the force was absolutely terrifying," he said.
Mr Scotts, a former NFL player and the first Australian to win an American College football scholarship in the US, has had access to his driveway cut-off by the sinkhole.
He said the collapse was waiting to happen, accusing Waverley Council of failing to carry out "real repairs" following a landslip at the end of Oceanview Avenue early last year.
"They came out after we complained, picked up all the rocks and repaired it sort of temporarily," he said.
"It rained again a few months later, rocks came out."
Mr Scotts urged the council to "get off their butt" and do something about the worsening erosion at the end of his street, saying the whole neighbourhood is "really disappointed".
"It's just embarrassing. You know, we pay enough bloody council fees, come and fix a really dangerous situation," he said.
Stephen Alexander, who lives further up, said the council had done little beyond putting up a fence.
"Every now and then they would pick up some rocks and that's about it," he said.
Mr Alexander said he was concerned the sinkhole may affect the stability of Mr Scotts's house.
"I think it's going to have problems with the foundations," he said.
In a statement, Waverley Council said the remediation work to be undertaken by contractors Land & Marine would be fast-tracked, after earlier saying it would be resolved "as quickly as possible".
"These works were due to commence in less than three weeks’ time but will now commence tomorrow morning," a spokesperson said.
"The works will include a permanent cul-de-sac retaining wall and improved stormwater infrastructure. These works were always a priority."
The spokesperson said a "considerable amount of money" had been spent to date to stabilise the area near the corner of Oceanview Avenue and Ray Street after last year's landslip.
In May last year, Waverley Council began upgrading sections of the clifftop coastal walkway Eastern Reserve, Dover Heights and Diamond Bay.
Works are expected to continue well into the year.
SES volunteers attended more than 270 incidents across the state in a single day.
NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan said most jobs were in the south-eastern region for leaking roofs, fallen trees and sandbagging property.
"Weather conditions will ease this evening with the rainfall forecast to move off the coast," Assistant Commissioner Hogan said.
Sunday is the 13th consecutive day of rain in Sydney, as recorded by the Observatory Hill weather station.
The record of 16 wet days in 2022 and 1943 could be broken if rain continues through to Thursday, but that seems unlikely.
: 5:45am, 70°F, humidity 100%, wind N @ 4mph, foggy.
rain & the temp dropped to 64 but it is back up to 76 feels 81 
