‘Great-great grandmother Nancy has lived in her home for 55 years’:...now it’s a swamp
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Flooding is often seen as a short-term inconvenience—but what happens when it becomes a years-long nightmare?
In one Sydney suburb, a senior resident has found herself in an increasingly desperate situation involving local infrastructure and government inaction.
What’s unfolding is a complex dispute that highlights the limits of responsibility and the toll of prolonged neglect.
A 92-year-old Sydney resident had her backyard turned into a swamp—and after years of appeals, she was still waiting for action.
Nancy, a great-great-grandmother, had lived in her Kurnell home for 55 years and paid her rates diligently.
But three years ago, her backyard flooded and remained submerged, and she believed a nearby stormwater drain was to blame.
Despite her long-standing residency and history of responsibility, Nancy said her local council offered little support.
‘Great-great grandmother Nancy has lived in her home for 55 years,’ a caption read.
In April 2022, 9000 litres of diesel spilled through the streets when the nearby Ampol fuel terminal was hit by floodwaters—some of it ended up in Nancy’s street.
She claimed her yard had remained waterlogged ever since.
Over the past few years, Nancy and her lawyer had repeatedly contacted the council for help, only to be met with silence.
Locals said nearby wetlands were constantly soaked, and the area’s drains were clogged and foul-smelling.
The council maintained that it had done what it could, but said the problem extended beyond its authority.
It stated that state government support was needed to resolve the issue properly.
Sutherland Shire Council released a statement, acknowledging Nancy’s situation and explaining the broader environmental concerns.
‘Sutherland Shire Council has been working for a number of years to address the concerns of a Kurnell resident whose property has been impacted by low lying water from the Marton Park Wetlands,’ the statement read.
The council explained that the property sat on naturally occurring wetlands and had been affected by elevated water levels.
‘While excess water in the Marton Park Wetlands naturally drains into Quibray Bay, a build-up of silt and vegetation in the Towra Point Aquatic Reserve has impeded this water flow over time,’ the council said.
It claimed it had taken ‘great care’ to minimise flooding risks, but that much of the surrounding wetlands and waterways fell under state government jurisdiction.
According to the statement, a long-term solution would require dredging within the Towra Point Aquatic Reserve—an area owned and maintained by NSW government agencies.
‘Council continues to liaise with both agencies to advocate for this dredging to be conducted, as well as other drainage mitigation works which will likely need to be completed on land these agencies maintain,’ it added.
It also listed short-term measures it had taken, such as clearing overgrowth and ensuring council-maintained infrastructure remained unobstructed.
‘Council acknowledges this issue has been an ongoing concern for the affected resident over a number of years, and will continue to update local residents as it works with responsible state government agencies to develop a long-term solution to this issue.’
Meanwhile, Nancy’s backyard remained flooded, and her patience had worn thin.
Watch the full report below.
Source: Youtube/A Current Affair
With local and state authorities pointing fingers, how long should residents like Nancy be expected to wait for real action? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
In one Sydney suburb, a senior resident has found herself in an increasingly desperate situation involving local infrastructure and government inaction.
What’s unfolding is a complex dispute that highlights the limits of responsibility and the toll of prolonged neglect.
A 92-year-old Sydney resident had her backyard turned into a swamp—and after years of appeals, she was still waiting for action.
Nancy, a great-great-grandmother, had lived in her Kurnell home for 55 years and paid her rates diligently.
But three years ago, her backyard flooded and remained submerged, and she believed a nearby stormwater drain was to blame.
Sydney woman’s yard submerged for years. Image source: Nine
Despite her long-standing residency and history of responsibility, Nancy said her local council offered little support.
‘Great-great grandmother Nancy has lived in her home for 55 years,’ a caption read.
In April 2022, 9000 litres of diesel spilled through the streets when the nearby Ampol fuel terminal was hit by floodwaters—some of it ended up in Nancy’s street.
She claimed her yard had remained waterlogged ever since.
Over the past few years, Nancy and her lawyer had repeatedly contacted the council for help, only to be met with silence.
Locals said nearby wetlands were constantly soaked, and the area’s drains were clogged and foul-smelling.
The council maintained that it had done what it could, but said the problem extended beyond its authority.
It stated that state government support was needed to resolve the issue properly.
Sutherland Shire Council released a statement, acknowledging Nancy’s situation and explaining the broader environmental concerns.
‘Sutherland Shire Council has been working for a number of years to address the concerns of a Kurnell resident whose property has been impacted by low lying water from the Marton Park Wetlands,’ the statement read.
The council explained that the property sat on naturally occurring wetlands and had been affected by elevated water levels.
‘While excess water in the Marton Park Wetlands naturally drains into Quibray Bay, a build-up of silt and vegetation in the Towra Point Aquatic Reserve has impeded this water flow over time,’ the council said.
It claimed it had taken ‘great care’ to minimise flooding risks, but that much of the surrounding wetlands and waterways fell under state government jurisdiction.
According to the statement, a long-term solution would require dredging within the Towra Point Aquatic Reserve—an area owned and maintained by NSW government agencies.
‘Council continues to liaise with both agencies to advocate for this dredging to be conducted, as well as other drainage mitigation works which will likely need to be completed on land these agencies maintain,’ it added.
It also listed short-term measures it had taken, such as clearing overgrowth and ensuring council-maintained infrastructure remained unobstructed.
‘Council acknowledges this issue has been an ongoing concern for the affected resident over a number of years, and will continue to update local residents as it works with responsible state government agencies to develop a long-term solution to this issue.’
Meanwhile, Nancy’s backyard remained flooded, and her patience had worn thin.
Watch the full report below.
Source: Youtube/A Current Affair
With local and state authorities pointing fingers, how long should residents like Nancy be expected to wait for real action? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
