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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Sage Swinton

Time to fix 'nightmare' King Street flooding hotspot

Newcastle council is considering storm water upgrades around the flooding hot spot at the King and Steel street intersection in Newcastle West.

The busy intersection most recently went underwater on February 15, prompting the early end of a gig at the King Street Bandroom after water washed into the venue.

King Street's operations manager Angus Harper said the intersection of King and Steel streets had been "a nightmare for 20 years".

City of Newcastle, which manages the storm water drainage network with Hunter Water, said there were no concerns with the condition of the storm water assets at the intersection, "however the nature of the weather event temporarily overwhelmed the capacity of the network".

Flooding at the intersection of Steel and King streets, Newcastle West on February 15, 2024, November 2023 and February 2008.

The council has completed a hydraulic study that identified "beneficial" storm water upgrades in this area, including storm water pit and pipe upgrades.

"These works will be considered for delivery via CN's forward capital works program," a City of Newcastle spokesperson said.

King Street is a "classified regional road", which are thoroughfares that connect state and local roads. They are managed by councils with financial support from the state government.

Water is swept out of the King Street Bandroom on February 15, 2024. Picture by Marina Neil

City of Newcastle said it regularly maintained the intersection to ensure the assets continued to operate effectively.

"Any maintenance works associated with repairs to pipes/pits are scheduled into CN's routine road maintenance program," the council spokesperson said.

The council said it had invested more than $34 million in storm water upgrades in the past five years, with another $5 million budgeted for delivery this year.

History of flooding

Traffic moving through flooding water. King and Steel Street, Newcastle West. November 5, 2023. Picture by Jonathan Carroll
People moving through flooding water. King and Steel Street, Newcastle West. November 5, 2023. Picture by Jonathan Carroll
Flash flooding along King Street and Steel Street, Newcastle West. February 26, 2020. Picture by Marina Neil
Wet weather hits King Street, corner of Steel Street, Newcastle West. January 5, 2016. Picture by Marina Neil
Wet weather hits King Street, corner of Steel Street, Newcastle West. January 5, 2016. Picture by Marina Neil
Wet weather hits King Street, corner of Steel Street, Newcastle West. January 5, 2016. Picture by Marina Neil
Wet weather hits King Street, corner of Steel Street, Newcastle West. January 5, 2016. Picture by Marina Neil
People abandon their car due to flooding at Steel and King Street. February 28, 2008. Picture by Natalie Grono
This picture of Steel Street from 1960 included the caption "And to make matters worse, when heavy rain combined with spring high tides, part of nearby King Street would flood, causing chaos".

Mr Harper said the King and Steel street intersection had been a nightmare for 20 years, but Newcastle Herald archives suggest flooding has been an issue in the area for more than 60 years.

A photo of Steel Street from 1960 depicting the street's fruit and vegetable trade includes the caption, "And to make matters worse, when heavy rain combined with spring high tides, part of nearby King Street would flood, causing chaos".

Upon being awarded an Emergency Services Medal in 2023, Hunter Surf Life Saving president Henry Scruton recalled rescuing a woman from King Street Hotel during the Pasha Bulker storm of 2007 after the ambulance she was in became trapped in floodwater nearby.

Other photos from throughout the years show the intersection underwater in November 2023, February 2020, January 2016 and February 2008.

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