It’s not the first time the 87-year-old has used this term to describe himself and his neighbours.

There are six homes in Austral Street and two in Butler Lane – formerly known as Welcome Street – and the residents continue to be less than impressed with the lack of attention their streets receive.

It’s a battle for Parkes Shire Council’s attention, they say they have been fighting for, for years.

The residents are raising their voices and concerns once again about the condition of their roads and how badly one needs flood proofing, in the hope council will listen.

Their frustrations were heightened during the large downpours the town received over the last 12 months, with the latest occurring in March when more than 120 millimetres fell over four days.

A small culvert in Butler Lane allows residents and other motorists to cross the creek that travels behind houses in Austral Street – the same creek, residents say, that two or three storm water drains feed into, including that of the main street.

The March 21-24 rains hit Clarinda Street so rapidly, the main street flooded in minutes, sending the water south.

In the aftermath, Butler Lane was closed due to flooding for five days, preventing its residents from leaving or accessing their homes in the meantime.

And once floodwaters receded, residents noticed parts of the roads were missing.

They said over time, floodwaters have caused the road to crumble, especially around the culvert in Butler Lane.

“The main problem is the water gets as high as the foot bridge,” Bill said.

“My fear is if anyone has an emergency, they have no hope of getting help.

“The last time it rained, it washed half of the road away.”

Butler Lane’s latest resident, Mack Kennedy – who moved into the street and into the house next door to the creek in January – had quite the shock when had to deal with his first flood.

“With all that rain in March, I couldn’t get out of the street for five days – anyone without a four wheel drive can’t get in or out of the street,” he said.

“My garage, front yard and back yard flooded.

“I had to get family to pick me up on the other side of the walking bridge over the railway and take me to work.

“I used to love listening to the rain on my tin roof but now when I hear the rain I think ‘oh no’.

“When it rains for more than a day, I start preparing to move everything in my yard. 

“If it gets a good force, the houses are like islands.”

The residents also added that when debris washes into the creek, it clogs the culvert, causing the creek and the road to flood faster.

Another Butler Lane resident, John Fletcher, said he’s been forced to build a ramp in his shed to park his motorbike so it doesn’t get flooded out like it did in 2002.

“The water sits there for weeks and smells,” he said.

“Water washes into the sewerage pipes which brings it back up...isn’t that a hygiene issue?

“My house has become an island dozens of times...this has been going on for years.”

The residents are calling on council to upgrade and raise the culvert, construct a bigger bridge, or widen the creek.

“The causeway is the main problem here,” Mack said.

“I pay just as much rates as people living up at Bushman’s Dam and it’s nice up there.”

“I’ve been living here for seven years and nothing’s been done,” Austral Street resident Jake Nolan added.

Austral Street resident Trevor Rowney – who’s been living in the area since 1974 – said they weren’t asking for a $50 million bridge.

“We just want something high enough to get in and out,” he said.

Parkes Shire Council’s general manager Kent Boyd said council is aware of the flooding and road issues in Butler Lane and he agreed that to create a flood-free road would require a large culvert or bridge. 

“Council has advised residents previously that these works are not in current programs, which are based on the hierarchy of the road and the numbers of movements per day, when compared to the numerous other localities across the 2000-plus kilometre road network,” he said.

“We have many residents across the shire which are isolated during flooding events.

“Similarly with Butler Lane, which requires reconstruction, its funding priority is assessed with the help of the Regional Roads Advisory Group against the rest of the road network. 

“We are however directing more money than ever before into the road network and hope the road gets onto the priority list soon as it clearly needs work.”

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