Mayfield Mines

A Mine Subsidence and Flooding Problem in Newcastle

Mine Water Just Like the Zombie Shows

Have arrived to work today to find our very last workable area for our electronic workshop has mine water. We have moved our equipment so many times to find workable area and this was the last position.

Absolutely shattered as we are unable to move the equipment anywhere else in the building. We might have been able to use a small space close to the Myola Street entrance but both Hunter Water and Newcastle Council continue to ignore stormwater flooding issues that have plagued us for more than 10 years – this results in stormwater coming in off the road as well as through the brickwork as all drains are completely full.

With the mine water, its just like the zombie shows, once affected you know what is coming.
Electonic Workshop Flooding

Electonic Workshop Flooding

 

Electonic Workshop Flooding 2

Electonic Workshop Flooding

 

Electonic Workshop Start All Over Again

Electonic Workshop Flooding Start All Over Again

Mine Water Flow directly under Maitland Road Mayfield

Urgent stablization was required to secure the telegraph pole in front of our property at Maitland Road Mayfield NSW.

Mine water is flowing directly underneath the road, under the footpath, and then directly into our lower warehouse permanently flooding us.

Authorities have stated they believe its from old mine workings. Historic records confirm this – miners back in the 1880s were supposed to leave barriers of coal/soil between various mines, however, they failed to do so resulting in full connectivity of all the mines in the area. Also, mining was to have stopped before Maitland Road however records suggest that mines did go beneath the main arterial road.

Mine water and the deteriorating legacy mine network has caused damage to Maitland Road, the footpath, to the telegraph pole, and permanently flooding our building.

NSW Government, Mine Subsidence Advisory, Legacy Mines, Newcastle Council and other agencies have been made aware of the issues for over 14 years.

Even when sink holes (some 2-3 metres in diameter) open along Maitland Road it takes an incredible amount of time to get the problems solved. The last hole took more than 7 months for City of Newcastle to action the repair – letters from us to Newcastle Council including directly to the Lord Mayor and councillors, request from Mine Subsidence Advisory and request from Legacy Mines all failed for City of Newcastle to act. If was only when the local MP Tim Crakanthorp wrote to Newcastle Council that the hole was repaired.

Telegraph Pole Repair Street Level A

Telegraph Pole Repair Street Level A

 

Telegraph Pole Repair Street Level

Telegraph Pole Repair Street Level

 

Telegraph Pole Repair

Telegraph Pole Repair

 

Maitland Road Mayfield Subsidence

Subsidence issues have been reported to all authorities including Newcastle Council, Mine Subsidence, NSW Government, local MPs and councillors for well over 12 years – maybe more than 100pc of evidence sent to authorities.
Newcastle Council has written to us saying that the stormwater pipes are not causing our issues, but what has this got to do with stormwater issues? Other authorities have mentioned they are investigating (for years…) or they keep silent.
Here are today’s photos of subsidence along Maitland Road Mayfield.

 

Maitland Road Footpath Subsidence

Maitland Road Footpath Subsidence

 

Maitland Road Subsidence

Maitland Road Subsidence

How to Destroy a Business – NSW Government & City of Newcastle Council NSW

It started as “seepage” in our warehouse in 2008, which then becomes 20,000,000 litres per year. This building is permanently flooded. Water then starts spreading onto our neighbouring properties where in 2019 water starts “seeping” into our office.

After a little time, water was now running permanently through our office brick cavities, internal walls, through concrete slab and out of the wall facing Maitland Road.

Now, this building is permanently flooded. “Seepage” has starting with our neighbours. You know how this finishes…… The NSW Government and City of Newcastle have completely ignored this problem.

It is mine water that is flowing from abandoned mines (its taken us years to find this information due to the lack of support and secrecy of authorities). Mine Subsidence Advisory in their report rejected helping us.

Their inspector then said; “The seam outcrops below the subfloor likely carrying water from nearby abandoned workings below Maitland Road”

This is how NSW Government & City of Newcastle Council NSW destroy a business.

 

20 Million + Litres of Water Flow into Properties from Legacy Mines

For many years, water is running from under Maitland Road directly into our properties. Over time the problem has become worse, spreading to neighbouring properties as well as water now vertically coming out of concrete slabs, structural columns and more.

The NSW government together with the Newcastle Council are treating this as “seepage” and have informed us that it does not warrant any action by them. Internally, we have had a wall collapse, subsidence damage is throughout the building, Maitland Road has had subsidence/resurfacing, multiple sink holes in the curb at the front of the building.