floods

FLOOD IN TOWNSVILLE GREATEST IN MEMORY: DAMAGE MANY THOUSANDS Water 15 Ft Deep In Parts TOWNSVILLE, March 5.-Residents of 60 years stated that the flood in Townsville was the greatest in memory, affecting areas previously regarded as above any possibility of flooding. The damage done by the flood in the city will run into many thousands. It is not possible to make a close estimate of the damage until the flood waters recede, as many houses in the Hermit Park area are still submerged. Some householders lost the greater part of their furniture, which was swept out of their houses. Officials, however, estimate the damage at £200,000 in the city area. In parts of South Townsville, the water was as high as 15 ft. above the road level. The Causeway Hotel, on the bank of the Ross River, had 30 inches of water over the bar counter. With inches of silt and other flood deposits in their homes, many residents of suburban areas of Townsville today were unable to obtain town water with which to clean their houses. The water shortage has been caused not by any damage to the weirs, but by the submersion of the pumps which line the bank of the Ross River and which have been in water, mud and silt. The wet motors of the pumps will have to be replaced with dry motors before pumping can be resumed. The city is still without gas, which is not expected to be avail- able until Wednesday. Source: Morning Bulletin,06 Mar 1946 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56393192

In 1893 the Great Flood of Brisbane left a path of destruction in its wake. The total rainfall in Brisbane over 8 days was about 20 inches (500 mm) and the Brisbane River rose 23 feet 9 inches (7.2 metres) above the mean spring tide and 10 feet over the previous highest flood mark (1890). Brisbane suffered approximately £2,000,000 worth of damages. The Victoria Bridge and the Indooroopilly Railway Bridge were swept away and in Queen Street, the businesses of Finney, Isles and Co, drapers, Perry Brothers, the goldsmiths, Hall Company, H. L. Davies, and Gordon and Gotch, all suffered major damage. Brisbane wasn't the only area hit. The countryside for miles on either side of the Mary River was devastated and the loss of settlers enormous. The Mayor of Brisbane composed the following cable for the Lord Mayor of London: "Brisbane, Maryborough, Gympie, Ipswich, Bundaberg and Rockhampton inundated by floods. Destruction of property and loss of life enormous. Relief urgently required. " Against the wishes of the Queensland public, this message was never sent. (Western Mail, 18 February 1893 p.40) Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/1893-brisbane-flood

Map shows the extent of the river’s penetration into the streets and blocks of the city, including the city centre where the waters were practically lapping at the Town Hall. Following a week of rain, including a fall of one hundred centimetres in just 24 hours, the Great Flood of 1893 cost 35 lives and swept away the Victoria Bridge. The flood recurred 3 times in two weeks in what came to be called Black February. Brisbane was a booming city of 140,000 citizens at this time. The loss of the Victoria Bridge, cutting the city’s lifeline between north and south, required a ferry service for several years while a replacement bridge was constructed. This map was published by the Irrigation & Water Supply Commission Queensland in 1928, as part of flood mitigation planning, and ongoing fact of life for the beautiful river city. Source: State Library of Queensland australia-prints.myshopify.com/products/greater-brisbane-...

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