Gidday,
back in 1977 the State Govt approved a gabion wall in the creek upstream of our place (we weren't here then) so as to stop erosion on a property. In 1997 Govt approved repairs to the gabion wall. Both approvals had conditions attached.
In floods of January 2013 the gabion wall was damaged. It needs to be repaired. New owners aren't interested, they didn't know about the wall when they bought and strangely are unconcerned about the possibility of the wall falling down and taking half their block with it.
Govt isn't interested either, they say that as of 1988 legislation changed (haven't told us what/how the change occurred) and they are no longer responsible for it. Govt says Council is now the responsible entity.
Council says waterways are State-controlled (true) so Council has no authority to do anything (besides which it would cost $$).
Where does this leave the 12+ properties downstream, which suffered flood damage in 2013 due partial blockage of creek, and will surely suffer worse in event of collapse of wall/full blockage of the creek?
Has anyone else had similar happen? There is a piece of legislation which limits the liability of govts to maintain their own infrastructure. How do others get on when this sort of thing happens? I find it odd that they can abandon responsibility for Govt-approved works in an urban area.
back in 1977 the State Govt approved a gabion wall in the creek upstream of our place (we weren't here then) so as to stop erosion on a property. In 1997 Govt approved repairs to the gabion wall. Both approvals had conditions attached.
In floods of January 2013 the gabion wall was damaged. It needs to be repaired. New owners aren't interested, they didn't know about the wall when they bought and strangely are unconcerned about the possibility of the wall falling down and taking half their block with it.
Govt isn't interested either, they say that as of 1988 legislation changed (haven't told us what/how the change occurred) and they are no longer responsible for it. Govt says Council is now the responsible entity.
Council says waterways are State-controlled (true) so Council has no authority to do anything (besides which it would cost $$).
Where does this leave the 12+ properties downstream, which suffered flood damage in 2013 due partial blockage of creek, and will surely suffer worse in event of collapse of wall/full blockage of the creek?
Has anyone else had similar happen? There is a piece of legislation which limits the liability of govts to maintain their own infrastructure. How do others get on when this sort of thing happens? I find it odd that they can abandon responsibility for Govt-approved works in an urban area.