QUEENSLAND FLOOD SUMMARY 1910 - 1919

Extracts from:

Results of Rainfall Observations made in Queensland, H.A. Hunt, Commonwealth Meteorologist, 1914.
Results of Rainfall Observations made in Queensland, Bureau of Meteorology, 1940.

1910

1st to 16th January: Creeks flooded, and rivers swollen in all directions; considerable damage to railway lines.

19th January: During a thunderstorm, no less than 371 points of rain fell in three-quarters of an hour at Harrisville, and caused a local flood. The railway bridge near the town was submerged. The water in Normanby Gully rose 8 feet in an hour, and at Churchbank it was more than a foot over the railway line.

22nd to 31st January: Very heavy rain; floods along the Pacific slope; high seas on coast.

BIG FLOODS IN QUEENSLAND, MARCH, 1910. *

* From Australian Monthly Weather Reports, March and May, 1910.

The March rains in Queensland were frequent and heavy, and over almost the whole State were above the average.

For the 24 hours ending 9 a.m. on the 7th, light to very heavy rain fell throughout - covering, in fact, almost the whole of the eastern half of the Commonwealth - under the influence of a system of low barometers which apparently had two centres of energy, one (9 a.m. 7th) over the eastern districts of Queensland south from the parallel of Townsville, and the other over Western Victoria. In central Queensland, some exceptionally heavy falls occurred, Longreach registering 498 points, Isisford 485, and Barcaldine 314. By 9 a.m. of the 8th, the northern centre of energy had moved eastward, and was then shown to the north-east of Mackay.

Further light to heavy rain fell over all that country lying cast from the line joining Normanton and Goondiwindi, the falls being heaviest in the north-east and south-east.

Under the influence of an area of low barometers off the central Queensland coast, a renewal of rainy weather set in in the south-eastern quarter on the 10th, and by 9 a.m. on the 14th, the rain area had extended northward to Torres Straits and the Gulf of Carpentaria.

On the 18th, a well-defined tropical storm was central in the neighbourhood of Townsville, and was causing further rain over the eastern districts of the central and southern divisions of the State, and the rain area again extended inland. Exceptionally heavy falls occurred in the central districts. For the 48 hours ending 9 a.m., 21st, Blackall recorded 494 points, Rolleston 405, Tambo 773, Rockhampton 851, and Gladstone 627.

As a result of the heavy rain that fell over the central and southern portions of the State during the greater part of the first three weeks of the month, stations situated on or in the neighbourhood of almost every river or stream south from latitude 20 deg. and east from longitude 142 deg., reported floods. In many instances the flooding was serious and attained record heights. Heavy losses occurred in stock; railway traffic was suspended; and the mail service was entirely disorganized.

Observers' notes are as follows:

McDonnell: River has been at a good swim all the month; maximum height 17 feet on the 7th inst., and lowest 4 feet 9 inches on the 18th and 20th.

Coen: River has been high.

Walsh: River flooded throughout month; large and, small floods; not crossable, 1st April.

Junction Creek: Creek in high flood several times during month.

Pentland: River flowing strongly.

Gilbert River: River higher than for some years.

Hughenden: River has been very high at times.

Winton: All creeks in flood for about a week.

Windorah: Cooper in big flood.

Urandangie: River running over banks.

Muttaburra: River in flood.

Jericho: Floods from 19th to 21st; loss of stock; damages to rail.

Alice: River not so high since 1891.

Barcaldine: Flood in Alice highest ever known stopped traffic a week.

Alpha: Creek broke over bank 20th; height, 29 feet.

Clermont: Country in flood; Sandy Creek 15 feet.

Lochnagar: Floods caused by heavy rain. (See Lochnagar Railway Station report).

Pine Hill: River in high flood.

Twin Hills: Highest floods since 1882; loss of stock.

Tambo: Highest flood on record 20th; Barcoo 18 inches higher than 1906; considerable loss of stock.

Bauhinia Downs: All creeks flooded.

Duaringa: Light floods; no serious damage.

Rolleston: Floods.

Comet: River flooded.

Blackwater: Local creeks in high flood.

Dingo: Country flooded for some days.

Emerald: River rose to highest point for 30 years; stock losses.

Blackall: Second biggest flood known on 20th; stock losses.

State Farm, Gindie: River flooded.

Bowen Downs: Big floods caused by heavy rains at heads of creeks.

Bluff: Floods.

Isisford: Barcoo River in flood; within 8 inches of 1906 flood.

Laura: River in flood; traffic at standstill.

Cooktown: River very high at times.

Halifax: River overflowed banks three times.

Kuranda: Barron River average about 3 feet above normal.

Wyandotte: High flood three times.

Geraldton: Floods.

Ingham: River flooded.

Acacia Vale: Creeks and rivers temporarily flooded.

Clare: Burdekin River in huge flood; within 18 inches of January record.

Reid River: River high.

Mount McConnell: Burdekin, Suttor, and Selheim Rivers in high flood.

Nebo: River running high.

Bowen: Rivers and creeks repeatedly bankers.

Ravenswood: River in flood.

St. Lawrence: Heavy floods.

Islandholme: River in high flood.

Rockhampton: Fitzroy River rose to 25 feet 6 inches above summer level.

Walkerston: River and creek flooded twice.

Queenton: River high.

Bundaberg: Fresh river.

Rosedale: River and creeks more or less under flood.

Gayndah: River in flood six days.

Cooran: Creek rose to 12 ft. 4 in.on 16th inst.

Gympie: River rose to 31 feet on 17th; receded; rose again to 23 feet on 22nd.

Tiaro: River Mary above usual height two or three times.

Woombye: Creeks running bankers.

Crohamhurst: River constantly in flood.

Esk: River 12 feet over normal.

Goodna: Slight fresh during month.

Cedar Pocket: Creek in a continual fresh.

Harrisville: Warrill Creek in flood twice.

Oxenford: River normal.

Howard: River in fresh several times, but crossable.

Yeulba: Creeks in very high flood.

Amby: Creek in very high flood.

Roma: Bungil Creek in very high flood for two days.

Surat: River flooded; highest, 32 ft. 10 in. at 4 p.m., 23rd.

Warrong: River has been running past Station for last seventeen weeks.

Bollon: All creeks, Maranoa District, in high flood past fortnight.

Mitchell: River rose to 20 feet on flood gauge on 21st inst.

Dirranbandi: Big flood; river rose 17 feet on 27th and 28th.

Eurella: All creeks ran bankers.

Hebel: River in flood; some stock losses.

Lagoon Flat: River high and uncrossable for few days.

Glencoe: Warrego overflowed 26th inst.; flooded 30,000 acres.

Hungerford: River rose 8 feet on 30th inst.

Langlo Downs: River rose higher than previously known general floods.

Augathella: Record floods.

Wyandra: River flooded on 19th inst. higher than 1906 record.

Cunnamulla: Flood waters over large area; river rose 25 feet.

Charleville: Maximum height of flood, 20 feet above usual level.

Thargomindah: High flood in river, 29th, 30th and 31st.

LOCHNAGAR RAILWAY STATION
Referring to rainfall, March 5th and 6th, this station seemed to be just on the outside of the fall, as Rocklea and Lochnagar, two stations to the south-south-east, registered 299 and 236 points respectively. They also report Back Creek ran and the Alice River is running. These stations are 6 miles distant from here.

11th March: Good steady rain fell nearly the whole day and will greatly benefit the surrounding districts. The Alice River rose again today to about half a banker at the Lochnagar Rocklea crossing. Rainfall, Lochnagar railway, 24 hours, 22 points.

14th March: Good steady rain fell during last night (Sunday), 170 points registered here, but over 2 inches both at Lochnagar and Rocklea stations. The Alice, after falling during Sunday, rose again through the night. Back Creek also ran this afternoon. Water over the rails at 330.25 miles (between here and Alice); one washaway reported, but not serious.

18th March: Yesterday was very close and muggy. At 8 p.m. a thunderstorm broke from the east; rainfall, 23 points.

19th March: Very heavy rain all night, with strong winds at times from east; 461 points rain.

20th March: Showery, with strong winds. Alice River very high; all the low-lying country covered. Alice River not known to be so high before. Railway line blocked; no trains running here.

24th March: Lovely clear morning, strong wind blowing from east; country in a very boggy state.

27th March: Weather now clear, with lovely cool atmosphere. First train got through (Brisbane Mail) since 18th March, 1910.

31st March: Country looked splendid. All stock, travelling and otherwise, in splendid condition. Abundance of surface water sufficient for twelve months. Country in very boggy condition and quicksands very prevalent. Sand-flies and mosquitoes very bad. Birds of all kinds returning here to their former feeding grounds.

10th to 18th November: Burdekin River in high flood at Ravenswood; crossable on the 27th.

- November: Thargomindah reports-Bulloo River in high flood for two weeks; rabbits drowned in thousands.

31st December: Barron and Mulgrave Rivers in full flood.

1911

6th January: Floods in the Cairns and Townsville districts.

9th and 10th January: Heaviest flood known at Mount Cuthbert; huge trees uprooted from the banks of creeks.

10th to 24th January: Highest recorded flood at Floraville; country submerged for miles. Rivers and creeks overflowed; river still in flood.

12th January: Floods occurred in various places in southern Queensland. 600 sheep were drowned near Warwick owing to the rapid rise in Emu Creek. Streets flooded at Laidley.

13th January: Floods at Rosewood.

January: Floods delayed traffic during month at Laura and New Einasleigh. Floods feared at Murweh.

3rd February: Balonne River 12 feet over the bridge at St. George, and 6 feet at Surat.

4th February: Flooding of a more or less serious nature occurred on the Fitzroy, Burnett and Mary Rivers, but the Brisbane River escaped owing to a deflection of the storm track away from the south-east coast.

February: Darr and Thomson Rivers in high flood at Arrilalah; land flooded as far as the eye can see. Water began to recede on the 7th. Many rivers and creeks in flood in the Peninsula Division during the month. Heaviest floods for fourteen years at Halifax. Sellheim and Burdekin Rivers in flood. Rivers in flood in the Maranoa division during the month; also heavy rains and floods in south-west.

16th March: Widespread devastation caused by wind and flood in the plantations and farms in the vicinity of Cooktown.

March: Floods at Mulgrave Central Mill, near Cairns. The month closed with every appearance of a record flood at Palmerville. Record flood over the whole country at Thornborough; much damage to mines and agriculture. River highest on record at Mareeba. Record flood since 1893 at Hebel.

1st April: Heavy rain in north Queensland. Record floods at Palmerville and Walsh River; big loss of stock. On the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd the Barron River was in flood at Kuranda; flood estimated to be the highest on record.

6th April: Considerable damage done by floods at the Kamerunga State Nursery.

7th April: Over 5 inches of rain fell in two hours at Cloncurry. Railway traffic interrupted.

11th April: Portions of the railway lines in north Queensland washed away; 1,000 men employed for many weeks to repair the damage done by the Barron and other rivers.

1912

January: River flooded at Walsh.

February: River in flood for two days at Taroom.

1st to 3rd March: Slight flood in Stanley River, and a moderate fresh in the Mary River.

17th March: Longreach: Rise in river; flood waters from north.

March: Rivers in high flood at Floraville. River in flood at Halifax and Caboolture.

March: Blackall: River in flood during month owing to heavy rains in district.

March: Windorah: River about 10 feet above normal. Good rains west of Windorah; Diamantina and Georgina rivers fairly big and wide-spread.

March: Richmond: River in flood during early part of month, owing to heavy rains at its source.

6th to l2th June: More or less flooding occurred in the central rivers, and the Mackenzie, near Comet, rose to 57 feet, or within 6 feet of the highest flood on record.

17th June: Cunnamulla: River rose about 16 feet.

17th June: Over 20,000 sheep, belonging to the Arcturus Downs station, were, it was reported, swept away and drowned during the recent flood in the Comet River.

22nd and 23rd June: Thomson River in flood.

June: Some floods reported from the Central Coast district.

June: Emerald: Very heavy rain; all rivers and creeks in the central west flooded; Nogoa, at one period, 12 feet above normal.

1st July: Roma: On several occasions lately, river overflowed its banks; now normal.

5th July: Cunnamulla: River rose about 27 feet.

10th July: Floods in the western district at Longreach and Muttaburra.

13th July: Longreach: River rose as high as the bridge.

July: Windorah: River very high in early part of month.

July: Thargomindah: River in flood for nearly four weeks.

1913

13th to 17th January: A tropical disturbance caused very heavy rain south from Townsville, especially heavy on and near coast between the Tropic and Wide Bay. Record flood occurred in Baffle Creek, near Rosedale.

29th to 31st January: A terrific tropical disturbance struck the coast between Cooktown and Cardwell during evening of 29th; torrential rainfall; highest floods on record at Innisfail, Cairns, and various other places. At Innisfail, cane crops were covered and stock drowned; over 100 houses under water; telegraph lines submerged for miles. River in heavy flood at Ingham; water 25 feet over the bridge, all low-lying land submerged; all farms around Long Pocket and Hawkins Creek under water; numerous washaways on the railway line between Cardwell and Lucinda. At Cairns, Mulgrave River 20 feet over railway bridge; Barron River in flood; big flood in Freshwater District.

8th to 17th February: Widespread rains. Floods in rivers in inland parts of Northern and Central divisions. Railway washaways in parts of the north.

21st to 28th February: General rains; very heavy on parts of coast and in central districts. High floods subsequently occurred in the Thompson, Barcoo, Bulloo, and Paroo Rivers, and in Cooper's Creek; mails for many inland towns delayed. At Longreach, the Thompson rose to within 2 feet of the 1906 flood mark. Railway washaways occurred near Winton, between Hughenden and Richmond, and near Cairns. Station Creek, at Chillagoe, in flood. Floods between Townsville and Broad Sound; 39.98 inches of rain at Sarina in 48 hours.

5th to 6th March: Mulgrave River in high flood; train traffic dislocated. Country in Cunnamulla district flooded. Bulloo River miles wide.

1st May: Mulgrave River flood; train services inter-rupted. Rail traffic between Townsville and Ayr also interrupted by floods.

1914

24th to 26th January: Floods in Cairns, Mackay to St. Lawrence and Cloncurry districts; rail and road traffic interrupted.

1st and 2nd February: Flooding and line washaways between Townsville and Bowen.

17th February: Floods in Cairns district; water six feet over Mulgrave River Railway Bridge.

24th to 28th February: Floods between Roma and Charleville and between Goondiwindi and Dirranhandi. Roma flood within 5 feet of record flood level of 1890. Balonne, Ward and Langlo Rivers in high flood; last named highest for many years.

3rd March: South-western rivers flooded. Paroo highest for 15 years. Damage by flood waters at Mungallala esti-mated £800.

10th March: Floods Mackay district.

13th to 16th March: Line washaways and damage to bridges Great Northern Railway west from Richmond; Malbon Creek Bridge almost destroyed.

23rd to 30th March: Minor flooding various parts of the State, including the Warrego Division. Damage to railway lines, notably Gayndah Branch. Large dam at Greymare (Warwick district) carried away by flood waters.

6th to 10th May: Flooding between Gympie and Lands-borough; man drowned Cooroy district.

9th October: Floods between Rockhampton and Yeppoon.

18th November: Severe local flood Juandah district; railway damage and miles of fencing swept away.

30th November: Severe local flooding in Charleville district; Bradley's Creek highest for 24 years.

22nd to 31st December: Local flooding from heavy thunderstorm rain in many localities. Serious damage to property in some instances, amounting to thousands of pounds at Toowoomba.

1915

20th to 25th January: Local flooding between Cardwell and Bowen and heavy floods in parts of the north-west quarter, especially between Hughenden and Cloncurry. Much damage to railway lines. Man drowned near Camooweal.

5th to 10th February: Moderate flood in Mary River and local flooding in other coastal districts south from Mackay. Two men drowned in Stanley River at Woodford.

27th and 28th December: Flooding in Charleville, Adavale and Longreach districts, and between Charters Towers and Cloncurry.

1916

21st to 24th January: Heavy flooding between Port Douglas and Townsville, especially Cairns district.

26th to 28th January: Heavy flooding in parts of north-west and central-west, especially between Richmond, Cloncurry and Mount Cuthbert, between Emerald and Longreach and between Georgetown and Croydon. Minor flooding between Townsville and Bowen.

lst to 4th February: Local heavy flooding in many dib-tricts, especially between Townsville, Charters Towers and Bowen, in the Charleville, Longreach and Brisbane districts and on the Downs. Two girls drowned near Charters Towers.

3rd to 7th February: High floods in all Gulf rivers. Man drowned in Cloncurry River. Local flooding between Cardwell, Charters Towers and Bowen.

6th March: Heavy flood between Birdsville and Bedourle.

29th to 31st March: Flooding in Muttaburra, Longreach, Blackall districts.

11th April: Stanley River flooded.

27th June: Bulloo and Warrego Rivers, and Cooper's Creek flooded.

18th July-Cooper's Creek and Bulloo River in big flood.

20th July: Warrego and other rivers west of Charle-ville flooded. Man drowned near Charleville.

31st July: Bulloo and Warrego Rivers again in high flood.

24th October: South-western rivers flooded; Bulloo River miles wide.

29th October: Local flooding in Rockhampton, Clermont and Mt. Morgan districts.

28th to 30th November: All south-western rivers in high flood.

4th December-Langlo, Ward and Bulloo Rivers in high flood.

9th to l4th December: Many interior rivers and creeks flooded. Flood at Goondiwindi only 1 foot lower than record flood of 1890. Barcoo in high flood; railway submerged and considerably damaged between Blackall and Yalleroi. Warrego and other south-western rivers also in high flood.

26th to 30th December: Highest floods on record in Theresa Creek, and the Comet, Nogoa and Mackenzie Rivers. Lower part of Clermont submerged on night of 28th; great destruction of property, heavy loss of stock, and 61 persons drowned. Considerable damage to property at Sapphiretown. Extensive damage to railway lines in many localities. Barcoo and some south-western rivers again flooded. Floods in Eton-Mackay district.

29th to 31st December: Coastal rivers between Card-well and Bowen flooded.

1917

1st to 4th January: Severe flooding in north-eastern part of State. Unprecedented floods in Flinders River; great damage to property; enormous loss of stock and several persons drowned. Portion of Burdekin Railway Bridge washed away.

1st to 9th January: Several south-western, central. western and north-western rivers flooded. Flood in Fitzroy River at Rockhampton within 3 feet of highest on record.

13th to 16th January: Flooding and damage to railway along Great Northern Line. Theresa, Capella and other creeks again flooded. Norman River flooded.

26th January: Floods in Macintyre and Weir Rivers, also in Paroo and Bulloo Rivers and Cooper's Creek.

1st to 14th February: Widespread and serious flooding in most of the inland rivers, especially in the south-west where some record levels reached. Considerable damage to railway lines, fences, &c. Several towns isolated. Burdekin River flooded.

1st to 13th March: Further severe flooding in most interior rivers, notably the Thompson, Barcoo, Bulloo, Paroo and Warrego. Widespread and serious dislocation of rail and road traffic over all inland divisions, and much damage to lines. Highest flood for 20 years at Charleville and Adavale, parts of which towns were inundated. Mackenzie and Fitzroy Rivers and adjacent streams, includ-ing Theresa Creek (Clermont) and Burdekin River also flooded. Man drowned in flooded Kolan River near Bundaberg.

23rd and 24th September: Local flooding many districts south from the Tropic, more general on the Downs and in the south-west, where several streams in high flood.

5th November: Flood Innisfail district.

8th November: Flood Longreach district.

16th November: Floods in Chinchilla and Goondiwindi districts. Loss of stock, and damage to property in latter area.

22nd November: Local heavy floods in various parts of central and south-eastern districts, especially between Emerald and Clermont, where bridges and lines damaged. Two men drowned near Longreach.

11th to 17th December: Many creeks and rivers in south -eastern quarter flooded. Strong floods in Warwick and Yandilla districts. Floods in Gulf country.

1918

2nd January: Flooding between Emerald and Clermont.

6th January: Local flood at Mackay, where 10.64 inches of rain in 24 hours.

10th and 11th January: Further floodings between Emerald and Clermont. Emerald streets submerged. Flood-ing also between Emerald and Longreach, and between Tambo and Blackall. Several north-western and south -western rivers flooded. Cooper's Creek 12 to 18 miles wide. Leichhardt River 5 feet over railway.

16th January: Cloncurry River in flood.

17th January: Minor flood at Rockhampton. Inker-man Bridge submerged. Flooding in Chillagoe district.

19th to 22nd January: Disastrous and most severe flood on record at Mackay (associated with intense cyclone), where 24.70 inches rain fell in 24 hours. Twenty lives lost; enormous damage to property. All rivers between Towns-ville and Gladstone affected. Unprecedented floods in the Burdekin and Fitzroy Rivers. Highest flood on record at Rockhampton (31 ft. 11 in.) ; two or three lives lost. Man drowned at Townsville. Portion of Don River Bridge at Bowen washed away. High floods experienced in all tributaries of Fitzroy and Burdekin Rivers, especially the Dawson, Mackenzie, Comet and Nogoa Rivers.

22nd to 31st January: After crossing the coast, the Mackay cyclone produced heavy rain over most of the State and practically all streams were flooded to some extent with consequent widespread dislocation of traffic, especially over central and southern zones.

February: Flood conditions of latter part of January continued during the first half of February, accentuated in some localities by heavy storm rains. Serious flood in Barcoo River reported on 5th. Rail and road communica-tion between Brisbane and northern and central districts not restored until late in month.

9th to 11th March: Temporary, flooding of rivers between Cairns and Mackay from heavy rains associated with disas-trous cyclone which crossed coast near Innisfail. Large part of Ingham inundated. Highest flood on record at Halifax.

20th to 26th April: Minor flooding in parts of. central -west and south-west. Damage to railway lines and bridges.

6th December: Severe local flood in Goomeri district; railway damaged, train derailed; stock drowned.

30th December: Heavy local flooding in Longreach district; 1,000 sheep lost.

1919

5th January: Heavy local flood between Warwick and Killarney; heavy loss of stock and crops.

12th to 21st January: Severe flooding in Gregory, Leicil-hardt, and Cloncurry Rivers. Much damage to railway.

22nd February: Flood at Blackall. Barcoo River 2 feet over new bridge.

1st and 2nd March: Floods in Warrego, Barcoo and Thompson Rivers.

3rd and 4th March: Flooding in Macintyre and Con-damine Rivers; serious washaway on Mary Valley Line. River 8 miles wide at Ellangowan, where flood highest for 20 years.

31st December: Local flooding scattered parts of south-east quarter. 40 head of cattle drowned at Pittsworth.

5th to 8th January: Mary and Maroochy Rivers flooded. Man drowned at Kin Kin. Bridge washed away at St. Helens (Maryborough district).

17th to 22nd January: Local heavy flooding in the north-west, central-east and south-east, chiefly in coastal rivers between Townsville and Rockbampton. Railway bridges between Ayr and Mackay damaged.

25th to 31st January: Local heavy floods in the north-west and between Townsville and Mackay. Flinders River at Hughenden in high flood.

1st February: Flooding in Cloncurry district; railway bridge damaged at Macgregor Junction.

4th to 7th February: Flooding between Cooktown and Cardwell (disastrous cyclone crossed coast between Port Douglas and Innisfail) and west therefrom to the Gulf. Man drowned in Russell River; another in Daintree River. Record flood at Normanton (20 feet over rails) ; enormous losses of cattle. Leichhardt River 16 feet over rails.

7th to 9th February: Further flooding between Cook-town and Cardwell.

10th February: Maranoa River in high flood. Balonne and Warrego Rivers in moderate flood.
19th to 24th April: Some heavy flooding in coastal rivers between Cooktown and Ayr. Mulgrave River highest for many years. Local flooding in Carpentaria, Central and Western Divisions.

30th April: Floods Babinda district; washaways and wrecked bridges reported.

6th to 7th May: Floods between Cooktown and Bowen and in some northern interior rivers. Mulgrave and Etheridge
Rivers in high flood.

14th June: Warrego, Ward, Bulloo, Paroo and Langlo Rivers in high flood.

1st to 5th July: Floods in Balonne, Severn, Warrego, Bulloo, Barcoo and Paroo Rivers and tributaries. Bulloo and Blackwater Rivers highest ever known. Cooper's Creek 17 miles wide. Many miles of fencing swept away; serious losses of stock reported.

14th to 17th September: Local floods in several districts south from Tropic; resulted from heavy thunderstorm rains.

15th October: Local heavy flooding in the Mt. Perry and Gayndah districts.

20th to 24th October: Barcoo, Warrego, Maranoa and other western rivers in flood.

4th to 6th December: Blackwater and Bulloo Rivers in flood.

6th December: Local heavy flood between Cloncurry and Kuridala; serious washaway on line.

8th and 9th December: Flooding in Rosedale, Bundaberg, Maryborough and Blackall districts. Man drowned in Barcoo River near Tambo.