The weather was wild and the rain was incredible in Manly and all the Northern Beaches this month. Massive downpours on saturated ground met the high tide, with flooding everywhere. Who is listening here? Who has been watching and learning? Is anyone in authority paying attention?

The last East Coast Low blew up the stormwater pipe along the footpath at Bower Lane a few years back. Council and Sydney Water spent some time studying the problem and then a great deal of money, time and energy fixing the new stormwater outlet adjacent to the pool. For a short time we enjoyed the new surface and marvelled at the eco tiles attached to the side of the new structure. Residents asked if the structure had been altered in any way to cope with the power of the surging waves during a combined high tide, East Coast Low and wet weather event. Yes, a vent had been installed along the new concrete platform. But what if it is underwater with the tide surging over it and it’s raining heavily? The result is shown in the photo above, taken shortly after the flooding of Manly.