Wonga Beach resident Carolyn Arcus has challenged Douglas Shire Council’s stance to not clear creeks and culverts that discharge water to the sea at Wonga Beach, warning it leaves a significant flood risk to homeowners.

Mrs Arcus says the outlets and drains become blocked with sand with tidal movements and the blockages then cause the drains to back up and flood houses at Wonga.

“For many years, a local resident had taken it upon himself to regularly open up the drain outlets to the ocean,’’ she said.

“This person has since left Wonga and in the following years we have experienced a lot of inundation of our houses as the water cannot flow out the to sea, as no one has taken it upon themselves to open them up each wet season.

“Cyclone Jasper saw another "good Samaritan" open the blockages to the ocean and we were all very fortunate to experience minimal flooding as result of this - thus proving the effectiveness of opening the outlets to the ocean.’’

Now the residents of Wonga are now formally requesting that DSC have an annual maintenance program in place to open up these drains, around five in total. They are concerned that doing the work off their own back may land someone with a fine, with their desire to see the work done "legally".

“But at a recent Community meeting at Wonga School we were left disappointed when we were told that the drains in and around Wonga would be cleaned but the outlets untouched,’’ Mrs Arcus said.

“Such work is a waste of money when it won't stop the flooding.’’

A survey of Wonga Beach done by an engineer for DSC produced “inaccurate results’’ the Wonga residents say.

“Not one Wonga resident was surveyed. The report also omitted many of the creeks and streams in and around Wonga.

“In this survey - all houses were marked with colored dots relating to what JB Pacific deemed the chance of flooding was.