UPDATE SEPTEMBER 11:
There was one bright spot during all the wet weather in August for a visitor from the Netherlands. Amy Hogen was on the last day of a gap year in Australia when Leader Chief Photographer John Veage happened by on August 21.
Ms Hogen, pictured with her ''Australian love'' Bill Barnes, stopped under a perfect rainbow at Wanda Reserve, just a few hours before she got on the plane to go home.
After someone sent her the link to this story, Amy emailed the Leader.
''Who could have known that we would end up in a newspaper when a stranger took a picture of us?'' she said.
''This memory of my last moments in Australia will forever be in my heart.''
STORY AUGUST 28:
RESIDENTS can expect a return to blue skies and sunshine on Saturday, just in time for the beginning of spring.
In the meantime, expect a partly cloudy day today with scattered showers contracting to the coastal fringe in the late afternoon and a maximum temperature of 18 degrees.
This week's deluge resulted in more than 25 calls to the State Emergency Service and the closure of Audley Weir.
High winds last week, and increased stormwater run-off, also resulted in beach erosion at Wanda, Elouera and North Cronulla.
A spokeswoman for Sutherland Shire Council said there was only minor erosion at Cronulla beach. She said the structural integrity of the Cronulla sea wall foundations had not been affected.
"The recently completed upgrade to the Wanda Surf Club car park, which included an upgrade to the stormwater management system, has significantly reduced the amount of erosion that used to occur in this area due to stormwater runoff, particularly around gate 13," the spokeswoman said.
In April 2013, thousands of cubic metres of sand were gouged from the beach.
The extensive beach area in front of the indoor sports complex almost disappeared.
A north-easterly swell and south-easterly winds have washed bluebottles (or Portuguese man-of-war) on to Cronulla beaches.
Bluebottles can be difficult to detect in the water, so swimmers should avoid areas where they are known to be present.
The best way to treat a bluebottle sting is to wash the affected area, preferably with hot water.
SES crews from Sutherland, Hurstville and Kogarah responded to calls mostly for flooding and leaking roofs in the shire.
Audley Road at Audley Weir was closed in both directions due to flooding.
Motorists requiring access to the Royal National Park yesterday were advised to use Waterfall or Otford as an alternate route.
SES emergency number: 132 500; traffic updates: livetraffic.com
Have you had weather damage where you live? Send photos to christiner@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
