Crews would begin the mammoth task at one end of the famous landmark and, day by day, painstakingly work their way to the other.

And by the time they finished the job, years later, crews would simply go back to the beginning and start all over again. It was same for the Tyne Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne and the Forth Road Bridge, near Edinburgh.

Wollongong City Council's roads and gardens crews must know how they felt.

A wet winter has been welcomed by most residents in a community that still has vivid memories of the bushfires which ripped through the south coast and Kangaroo Valley in 2019.

But with spring now here and the weather starting to warm, those same wet months have sparked an explosion in vegetation growth in public reserves and on roadsides right across the Illawarra.

You don't have to go far to find metre-high grass that's creating an eyesore and potential haven for snakes and other critters. Not to mention our grass verges and playing fields that are saturated and full of puddles.

Labor Councillor Janice Kershaw knows too well how treacherous it can be walking on wet nature strips with no footpaths.

On Saturday, she suffered a bad fall in Stanwell Park while campaigning for the upcoming council elections on December 4.

Unfortunately, she slipped on wet grass, broke her ankle, and needed emergency surgery on Sunday.

Residents of Northern Illawarra have warned that more footpaths are needed in the area, particularly where children are walking home from school. Janice admitted that her fall had highlighted the need for allocating spending on footpaths.

With the council election coming up, there's a chance for the local community to have their voices heard, loud and clear.

And, when it comes to rain, it's worth remembering that we have a lot more to complain about when it doesn't fall than when it does.

- Gayle Tomlinson

The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.

Sign up for breaking news emails below ...