Rockslide was life-threatening

The rockslide onto Phegan's Bay Rd back on the evening of July 8, was caused, in my opinion, by a massive section of natural rock outcrop reacting badly to vibration from the increasing number of heavy trucks and buses rumbling down Woy Woy Rd.

The cavernous section of rock, a work of nature over hundreds of years, was several meters long averaging two metres wide and half a meter thick.

It succumbed to the constant vibration and let go, dropping vertically from just below the level of Woy Woy Bay Rd.

Free falling for almost five metres to a rock ledge, it broke into pieces the size of household furniture which continued down, tearing out substantial trees and churning up the already unstable earth and boulders, which had been perched precariously for many years on the high side of Phegans Bay Rd, a silent yet ominous threat to houses in Raymond Rd.

As luck would have it, the potential disaster was brought to a stop by Phegan's Bay Rd and the Armco railing less than six metres above residential houses.

Some of those residents were blissfully unaware of the life threatening drama which had played out above their homes the night before.

At least one of the rocks I photographed, stopped by a large tree in the slip zone, was the size of a upright piano.

While Gosford Council assured people a council officer would be on hand at all times that was not in fact the case on July 19.

Council must explain why school busses were using the road before a qualified assessment of the site had been done?

Edward James, Umina

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