UPPER Lachlan Council is seeking Natural Disaster assistance to help pay the cost of the massive clean-up task which followed the “big snow”.

Council’s Director of Works, Mr. Phil Newham, puts the cost of the clean-up at more than $1 million – and it could rise even more.

The biggest task was firstly opening the roads through the major part of the Shire for safe passage, and then the still ongoing job of clearing fallen timber.

Only the lower areas around Gunning, Dalton and Collector were spared the effects of the 30-centimetre fall – the biggest in the area for many years.

Mr. Newham was full of praise for the efforts of his bulldozer drivers in clearing snow and ice from road surfaces without damaging the pavements – “they did a brilliant job.”

Although a number of travellers were forced to leave their vehicles during the storm, notably on the Crookwell – Goulburn Road, Council had only to perform one rescue.

A car was trapped at the Deviation on the Grabben Gullen Road at 11.30 on the night of the storm when trees came down in front of it.

Then when the driver attempted to reverse out, more branches came down behind him – trapping him.

A Council crew, led by Chris Francis, and accompanied by members of the S.E.S.  came to the rescue, sawed their way through the fallen trees and brought the driver and passengers back to the safety and warmth of the Rural Fire Service headquarters – where they saw out the storm.

Crookwell R.F.S. members and Origin Electricity workers were also called out into the freezing conditions.

With power lines down and widespread blackouts, the Origin crews worked well into the next morning to restore power to wide areas of the district which suffered blackouts from around midnight to mid-morning.

The recently installed shade sales at the Crookwell High School collapsed under the weight of the snow, while many house gutters and fascias through the Shire suffered damage.

At least two farm sheds were reported to suffered collapsed roofs under the weight of the snow

A number of injuries, including broken legs, were suffered by people slipping on icy pavements in the days after the storm, but while the intense cold prevented the ice cover from thawing.

One resident of Nura Village suffered a severe fracture and was taken to Bowral Hospital.

Attempts were made to clear the ice away from one trouble spot, at the entrance to IGA Supermarket, with Council completing the task by Monday.

Ensuring safety by clearing away fallen branches and cleaning out hazards created by fractured and broken limbs still hanging above the roadways occupied Council repair gangs for most of last week.

Now comes the task of removing the fallen timber and foliage from the drains at the side of the roads.

If this work is not carried out promptly the drains could become blocked which could lead to severe road damage.

Council’s bid for Natural Disaster funding will go to the Government this week – something other Councils on the high areas of the Southern Tablelands will no doubt be seeking.