For some, Saturday's deluge will feel like a lifetime away. We've been lured back into a sense of security by blue-sky days and milder-than-normal weather.
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But for those who are still cleaning up mud and silt, dealing with insurers, and, for some, trying to find a place to stay, Saturday's events are still very much front of mind and will be for years to come.
That is why we've dedicated our homepage entirely to coverage of the floods and their aftermath until 1pm on Thursday, April 11.
It's the smallest gesture and the very least we can do to show solidarity with our readers and the wider community.
If anyone has ever visited the Mercury newsroom, you'll have heard us discuss 'constructive journalism'. It's a form of storytelling that looks at an issue from several perspectives, and our team works hard to tell stories in this way.
When read collectively, the stories we publish this morning reflect that goal. We have spoken to flood experts, local politicians, homeowners, and renters.
We've sat down with the General Manager of Wollongong City Council, Greg Doyle, and Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery in an attempt to understand and distill the huge challenge the council faces.
Yes, there's the clean-up, but there's also the future work that is now required to protect Wollongong and Shellharbour from future extreme weather events.
As Cr Bradbery said, it's a "continuous improvement".
It's also expensive.
As Shellharbour Mayor, Chris Homer has pointed out we need to work with state and federal government to build infrastructure that can withstand the long-term impacts on climate change. When he says "work together". He means funding.
The Illawarra's challenge now is to shore us up for the future. We can't go through this time and again. Our insurers won't take it, but the toll on our region's mental health is arguably the worst prospect.
So, now is the time for the Illawarra's voice to be heard in the corridors of state and federal parliament. We're not Lismore nor the Hawkesbury. We don't have a massive river running through our region. The scale of the problem perhaps isn't as obvious as result.
But ask the homeowners and businesses who can't get insured. Ask Breeze Collie and her six kids or Gary and Bronwyn Hart from Thirroul.
For them and others, the problem is real, and the solutions are complex and expensive-but not as expensive as doing nothing.
