Storm-Battered Nevertire Struggles Through Another Weather Blow
So, let me walk you through what has been happening in the tiny rural town of Nevertire in western New South Wales, because the community has just been pushed to its limit for the second time in less than a year. This latest storm hit on Wednesday, and even now, the town’s 135 residents are still trying to wrap their heads around the damage left behind.
The storm arrived suddenly, right around midday, and within minutes rooftops were torn away, sheds were shredded, and debris was flung across properties like confetti in a cyclone. One of the most shaken families is Sid and Maria Kinsey, who were sitting at a table doing some computer work when a massive lightning strike hit directly above their home. Sid said it felt like the roof exploded. A heavy timber plank — blown from a shed nearly 200 yards away — came crashing straight through their ceiling like a missile. The sound, he said, was unreal. Their hallway was filled with splintered wood, shards of glass, and twisted iron. Thankfully, despite the chaos, no one in the house was injured.
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But emotionally, the hit has been rough. This wasn’t even the first time they’ve lived through it. Just nine months ago, another destructive storm ripped off roofs in Nevertire, including one of theirs. Maria remembers spending months drying out soaked carpets and repairing damage. And now here they are again, facing a broken home and a long cleanup.
At least six properties were severely damaged this time, power was out for 24 hours, and even a newly renovated commercial building on the main street had its roof peeled off. Surrounding towns like Narromine, Wongarbon, and Dubbo also reported damage, but for Nevertire, the impact feels heavier because everyone knows everyone. As Warren Shire mayor Greg Whitely pointed out, when a community is only four streets by five streets wide, losing six roofs hits incredibly close to home.
And beyond the physical destruction, the emotional toll is piling up. Locals are exhausted. The town’s publican, Dympna Lawler, said it feels like Nevertire is stuck in a cycle of wild weather, and people are starting to feel worn down by it. Even worse, small towns often struggle to qualify for natural disaster funding because the total cost has to exceed a statewide threshold. That leaves many residents relying on private insurance — a stressful process at the best of times, let alone when some claims from the previous storm still haven’t been resolved.
SES crews and council workers have already begun clearing debris, but the wider state is also dealing with chaos. Winds above 100 km/h were recorded across NSW, leaving tens of thousands without power and leading to the death of one man on the Central Coast. The SES received more than 2,250 calls for help in just 24 hours.
For Nevertire, the storm may have passed, but the recovery — and the emotional weight of starting over again — is only just beginning.
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