QUEENSLAND FLOOD SUMMARY 1890 - 1899

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

1890

11th January: Great floods at Aramac.

18th January: Floods at Bundaberg.

25th January: Brisbane: Water in the river 3 feet 4 inches above the height reached by the king tides; several of the wharves flooded.

2nd February: Floods in Fitzroy River.

3rd February: Northern Railway flooded.

24th February: Railway traffic on central lines interrupted by floods.

10th March: Floods in the Brisbane River.

11th March: Owing to floods all telegraphic and postal business interrupted. Brisbane River 18 inches above the level of the 1887 flood.

13th March: Brisbane-Flood 5 feet 2 inches above the level of the 1887 flood.

14th March: Floods subsided.

16th March: Central railway line flooded.

28th March: Floods and loss of life in the Northern, Western, and Central districts.

29th March: Floods at Stanthorpe.

June: Heavy flood at Mount Irving, Jondaryan.

1891

28th January: Traffic on the Normanton railway suspended owing to heavy floods.

5th February: Extensive floods on the central railway.

12th February: Heavy floods at Normanton.

30th March: Floods in the central districts interfered with the railway traffic.

7th June: Western districts almost impassable through rain.

10th June: Floods in Fitzroy River.

11th June: Traffic on Indooroopilly ferry interrupted owing to strong fresh in the Brisbane River. Mines at Gympie exempted from work for seven days owing to floods.

1892

25th January: A serious flood caused great damage at Townsville.

1893

2nd February: Floods at Gympie, Maryborough, and Bundaberg.

3rd February: Lower part of Brisbane submerged, and water still on the rise; the Elamang and the gunboat Paluma were carried by the flood into the Botanical Gardens, and the Natone on to the Eagle Farm flats.

4th February: Disastrous floods in the Brisbane and Mary Rivers; 8 feet of water in Edward-street at the Courier building. Numbers of houses at Ipswich, Brisbane, Gympie and Maryborough washed down the rivers. Seven men drowned through the flooding of the Eclipse Colliery at North Ipswich. Telegraphic and railway communication in the north and west interrupted.

5th February: The Indooroopilly railway bridge washed away by the flood. Heaviest floods known in Brisbane and suburbs.

6th February: The lower part of South Brisbane completely submerged. The flood rose 23 feet 9 inches above the mean spring tides and 10 feet above the flood mark of 1890; north end of the Victoria bridge destroyed.

7th February: Flood waters subsiding. Sydney mail train flood-bound at Goodna, unable to either proceed or return.

10th February: Very heavy flood; nine clays' continual rain at Mount Irving, Jondaryan.

11th February-Toowoomba: Most severe flood ever experienced.

13th February: Second flood for the year in the Brisbane River. Rapid rise in the Burnett.

16th February: More rain in the south-east districts; another rise in the Brisbane; further floods predicted.

17th February: A third flood occurred in the 'Brisbane River for the year.

18th February: The Elamang floated off from the Botanical Gardens. Business at a standstill in Brisbane, Ipswich, and other towns. Several deaths by drowning reported.

19th February: The gunboat Paluma safely floated off the Gardens, and the Natone off Eagle Farm flats. Another span of the Indooroopilly railway bridge carried away. The third flood reached its maximum height at 12 (noon), viz., 10 inches below the first flood. Floods occurred at Warwick and Dalby.

21st February: Flood waters subsiding.

10th June: Floods at Gympie, Maryborough, Mount Irving, Jondaryan, and Bundaberg; a freshet in the Brisbane River.

11th June: Flood waters of the Brisbane River still rising.

12th June: Flood at Brisbane reached a height of 10 feet 10 inches above low water, or I foot 4 inches above the level of the flood of 1887; water stationary at 10 a.m. 2,000 sheep drowned at Jimbour.

17th July: Heavy floods occurred in the Darling and Warrego Rivers.

1894

17th January: The railway traffic at Townsville suspended owing to flood; water 6 feet above the Burdekin bridge.

20th January: Flood waters 22 feet over the rails of the Burdekin bridge.

20th April: A great deal of damage done in the north by floods.

22nd April: The biggest floods ever known by white men in that district reported from the Diamantina.

26th June: The rains caused heavy floods in the Central district.

27th June

Cunnamulla: Big flood, due to heavy rains during past week-, at Cunnamulla and on the Warrego. All billabongs about the township connected with the river flooded and traffic between the different parts of the town carried out by means of boats; schools surrounded by water; Chinamen's gardens flooded; river still rising. Water I foot below the level reached during the big flood of 1890.

Emerald: Nogoa River 7 feet over railway line, and still rising; Comet River also rising.

1895

8th April: Heavy floods in north Queensland; the Daintree River rose 8 feet higher than ever known before.

1896

1st February: Heavy floods at Clermont.

6th February: Heavy floods at Rockhampton.

3rd March: Great flood at Georgetown.