QUEENSLAND FLOOD SUMMARY 1880 - 1889

Extracts from: Results of Rainfall Observations made in Queensland, H.A. Hunt, Commonwealth Meteorologist, 1914.

1880

12th January: Heaviest flood on record in the Daintree River, the water rose 40 feet, washed bullocks and a large quantity of goods and produce into the ocean, and drowned some men.

19th February: Floods in the north and west higher than those of 1864; much damage done to parts of the Western Railway.

1881

26th January: Very heavy floods reported from the Flinders.

1882

13th January: Very heavy floods reported from Thargomindah.

9th March: The Comet River rose 9 inches above the railway bridge. The creek at Clermont overflowed its banks and caused serious damage.

12th March: The Comet River rose 19 feet above the bridge.

19th October: Rain general throughout colony. At Maryborough 6 inches were recorded, and goods to the value of 1,000 pounds, belonging to Messrs. Miller and Menzies, drapers, were submerged.

20th October: Enoggera reservoir in flood.

1883

l2th February: The Balonne River overflowed its banks at Goondiwindi. The inhabitants saved township from flood by damming back the waters.

5th March: The highest flood known at Thargomindah occurred. The river in places was several miles wide; many horses and cattle swept away.

1884

31st January: Mackay: Heavy rain, which caused one of the heaviest floods known.

7th February: River Fitzroy in flood; water 2 feet above the wharves at Rockhampton.

17th February: The stanchions and centre of the Endeavour River bridge at Cooktown washed away.

21st February: Endeavour Bridge washed away by the floods.

25th February: Heavy floods stopped traffic on the Northern Railway.

3rd March: Charters Towers-Heavy rain; two bridges at Millchester swept away by floodwaters.

4th May: The Condamine River rose 8 feet at Warwick.

1886

26th July: Heavy floods at Charleville; six persons who had taken refuge in a tree were rescued by Mr. Yaldwyn by means of a canvas boat.

27th July: Famine at St. George through non-receipt of supplies owing to floods.

1887

19th to 22nd January: Very heavy rain over Moreton and East Darling Downs divisions. Creeks in flood and low-lying ground submerged at Cryna (Beaudesert) and Fassifern. Goodna township flooded; houses under water. Quart Pot Creek, at Stanthorpe, at its highest level for past twelve years.

22nd January: Railway traffic on the Southern and Western Railway suspended on account of floods. Bowen Bridge, Brisbane, 5 feet under water at 4 p.m., washed away at 6.30 p.m.

23rd January: Very high flood at Brisbane. Several lives lost by drowning and a great deal of property damaged.

25th January: News of fearful loss of property on the Logan River, and destruction of the railway bridge was received at Brisbane. The steamer Barrabool ran aground in Brisbane River and two sailors were drowned by the flood waters.

22nd to 28th February

Very heavy rain over country to the south of Winton, Alpha, Springsure, and Tewantin. Rivers and creeks flooded.

Alpha: Town flooded.

Cowley: Station house destroyed by highest flood on record. Mount Morris: Highest flood for some years.

Springsure: All rivers and creeks in district in flood.

Thargomindah: River in flood.

Warwick: Heavy flood came down the Condamine at 3 a.m. on 22nd; water rose 2 feet 6 inches higher than the floor of the Post Office; meteorological instruments in yard submerged, and embedded in mud. No observations made with these instruments from 21st to 25th.

27th February: Heavy floods at Maryborough and Bundaberg.

10th March: Heavy floods stopped all traffic on the Northern Railway at Townsville.

14th March: Severe flood at Roma.

March: Very heavy rains during month at places in North and South Coast, Central Highland, and Upper Carpentaria divisions. Country flooded at Alpha, Caloundra (water 6 inches above the January flood mark), and Tewantin.

13th August: Heavy rains flooded the low-lying ground in neighbourhood of Brisbane.

1888

18th January: Floods at Rockhampton; 21.12 inches of rain fell in three days. Mount Morgan coach washed away, mails lost, and a passenger drowned.

1889

17th July: Low lying suburbs of Brisbane flooded owing to the heavy rains; river rose to within a few inches of the flood mark of January, 1887.

19th July: Floods in most of the Queensland rivers south of Bundaberg. Five vessels adrift in Brisbane River. The Brisbane wharves and part of Ipswich submerged.