Freedom Flows Again: Audley Weir Reopens After Holding Bundeena and Maianbar Hostage With a Puddle

Finn Seabrook | Local Correspondent | Sutherland Shire Gazette

25 May 2025

In what’s being hailed as a “miracle of basic infrastructure,” Audley Weir officially reopened today, reuniting Greater Sutherland with its previously estranged southern cousins in Bundeena and Maianbar after yet another weather-induced civil divide.

After a few days of closure due to torrential rain, flash flooding and what one ranger described as “a mildly assertive puddle,” locals are cautiously celebrating the return of vehicular passage -  and basic regional cohesion.

“About time,” muttered one Maianbar resident who had been rationing Nespresso pods since Thursday. “We were two days away from creating a barter economy.”

In Bundeena, residents are reportedly hosting a full-blown reopening party tonight, complete with a sausage sizzle, a bootleg ferry DJ, and a ceremonial crossing by Kevin from the Men’s Shed on a repurposed paddleboard. A 17-year-old from Caringbah has already promised to DJ, provided someone can explain what Bundeena actually is.

Locals have expressed frustration that the weir remained closed “until today,” despite conditions that some say amounted to “a shallow inconvenience at best.”

“It was a puddle,” said one deeply bitter commuter. “I’ve seen more water in the dog bowl at the cafe.”

Those in the know insist the delay was for “safety reasons,” and definitely not because no one wanted to be responsible for the paperwork if Brad in the Hilux tried his luck again.

Still, NRMA is urging caution: “If there’s a cloud in Wollongong, maybe just cancel your plans for the week.”

In related news, Bundeena’s breakaway government has been quietly disbanded, and the “Bunxit” signs are being taken down -  until the next sprinkle, possibly next weekend.