On the precipice: Residents of Sydney's affluent northern beaches look out to sea after wild storms washed away 25 metres of sand and threatened their multi-million dollar mansions
- Images taken on Tuesday showed residents looking at the damage done
- The weekend's horror weather washed away 25 metres of sand from Collaroy
- More damaging conditions are expected for the upcoming weekend
Home owners in Sydney's affluent northern beaches have been left concerned after catastrophic storms on the weekend washed away 25 metres of sand.
Images taken on Tuesday showed residents looking at the damage done by the horror storm that has left 50,000 without power.
Water lapped at the back fences of properties along the beach in Collaroy.
Residents looked concerned as they watches the water get closer to their homes.
Images taken on Tuesday showed residents looking at the damage done by the horror storm that has left 50,000 without power
Water lapped at the back fences of properties along the beach in Collaroy. Residents looked concerned as they watches the water get closer to their homes
Erosion rapidly began on Sunday evening with more expected on Monday.
'Basically, the next few hours will be critical,' University of NSW coastal researcher Mitchell Harley told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'After that, the risks will drop significantly.'
He warned another threat of further beach erosion could emerge next weekend.
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'Plenty of sea foam going into backyards, but erosion risk dropping. Impact to houses spared, ready to go again for next weekend's forecast massive waves and already eroded beaches,' Dr Harley later posted on Twitter.
The erosion damage already caused could possibly take months to repair.
The sea foam was mid-calf deep in one Collaroy street overlooking the beach.
'It's incredible. I am down at the beach all the time but [have never seen] anything like this,' one resident told the Sydney Morning Herald.
More damaging conditions are expected for the upcoming weekend when swells could reach 2.5m on Friday, a Bureau of Meteorology forecaster told Daily Mail Australia (map pictured)
Erosion rapidly began on Sunday evening with more expected on Monday
Locals took to social media on Sunday night with photos of Collaroy Surf Club surrounded in sea foam.
'It’s a couple of feet thick from the pool to flight deck,' one resident posted on Instagram.
Another added: 'Weird sea foam on the king tide at Collaroy tonight. It was almost as deep as a man and covered the whole foreshore.'
Waves up to six metres high propelled by the gale force winds are threatening to wash away beachside mansions in echoes of the storm that carved 15m off the coastline and wrecked seven Colloroy beachside properties in 2016.
Sydney has received a third of its annual rainfall during the last four days as the heaviest rain in 30 years inundated the city
But there are many waves far bigger that could cause significant damage.
'Erosion of the beaches inevitable which could impact properties that are close to the beach,' Weatherzone told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday.
'The swell is huge. There's been 13.9m waves record off Sydney, which is ridiculous.'
Sydney has received a third of its annual rainfall during the last four days as the heaviest rain in 30 years inundated the city.
More damaging conditions are expected for the upcoming weekend when swells could reach 2.5m on Friday, a Bureau of Meteorology forecaster told Daily Mail Australia.
'This could be very damaging for the north coast, especially as the tropical cyclone currently off the coast of New Caledonia moves south and south west,' she said.
'It won't directly impact the New South Wales coast but it will bring challenges such as hazardous surf conditions.'
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