AS PROGRESS is made filling erosion holes, pumping water and fixing roads around Broke, residents are still playing the waiting game.
Pravesh Shah has owned a vineyard just outside the village for about six years. He said the floods last month capped off a horror run.
"The weather has been bad with the drought and fires and flooding. But that's life I guess," Mr Shah said. "I've only had one good season in the last three years because it has been too wet."
While there was no damage to Mr Shah's house in the flooding, he said around 30 acres of his land was inundated, destroying tens of thousands of dollars of fencing, poles and plants.
"It is a slow process with just me and my wife fixing but we are getting there."
Like many in Broke, Mr Shah travels to Singleton a few times a week for groceries. He said the $100,000 temporary side track around the destroyed section of Broke Road, opened by council on Wednesday, cuts his travel time by more than 10 minutes each way.
However, with a La Nina alert recently issued by the Bureau of Meteorology and flooding predicted for later in the year, Mr Shah said it's a case of "wait and see".
"With the water table still very high it won't take much rain to get bad again," he said. "I think everyone is a bit worried. Everyone with property, vineyards or olives."
Singleton council director of infrastructure and planning services Justin Fitzpatrick-Barr said planning was underway for future flood events.
"Council is currently recruiting an emergency management and engagement officer and under the guidance of the local emergency management committee, will work with communities across the Singleton local government area to develop disaster readiness plans to improve the community's ability to respond to future natural disasters, including floods," Mr Fitzpatrick-Barr said.
Insurance claims is an area where the patience of many residents is being tested. Everyone the Newcastle Herald has spoken with in Broke this week is at one stage of the claim process or another.
Many are waiting on the results of building reports, with some saying inspectors refused to get under their house and check piers to "avoid getting dirty".
Geoff Minnis, whose front fence, chicken coop and some house piers were all destroyed by erosion holes, said it could be 18 more months before he can move back into the house.
"We are allowed to spend the days in the dining room and kitchen but can't sleep there yet. We are still in the caravan," Mr Minnis said. "The insurance company suggested they might purchase the caravan so we can stay in it long term.
"They are also going to pay for the front fence which is handy."
Mr Minnis said the council had done a "fantastic" job, with material from Bulga Coal, of repairing erosion holes on his property.
The council said around 95 per cent of properties in the township have had their erosion holes repaired.
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