Urgent rail repairs were observed at Gerringong and Kiama over the weekend of 2 December to 3 December 2023, notably, serious stabilising works on the rail bridge over Belinda Street in Gerrringong.

In the accompanying photo, a railway worker can be seen standing about 2 metres below the normal level of the railway line on the Belinda Street Bridge.

Urgent rail repairs at Belinda Street Gerringong 

Clearly by observation the rail lines on the bridge over Belinda Street seem to be receiving major stability works in Gerringong with the possibility the supporting rock base has washed away.

Similar work has been observed occurring in Kiama.

Details are not clear what the issue is as no public announcement has been made by SRA or the Department of Transport about the seriousness of the trackwork, but it is likely due to recent severe rain events where local residents reported on social media more than a metre of rain in one hour in their rain gauges.

Transport NSW announced that buses replaced trains for the planned trackwork over the weekend.

Drains turn into fountains in Gerringong

It is not known if recent severe rain events affecting Gerringong, Kiama and South Coast had required emergency trackwork on the South Coast Line as heavy rain washed away the base of crushed basalt (quarried at Bombo) supporting the train lines. 

A second severe rain event occurred in Gerringong and the broader South Coast, at about 6 pm on Saturday 2 December 2023, including small hail and storm drains turning into fountains as seen in the accompanying photos.

The second severe deluge possibly further affected the trackwork on the South Coast railway line as the rain included very strong winds and small hail.

Removing track debris after the wild weather