Gallery: Brisbane’s 1974 floods, 40 years on

community, Interest, waterways/wetlands

Jan 272014

Original story at ABC News

Four decades on, take a look back at photos of the devastating floods that swamped Brisbane on the Australia Day weekend in 1974.

Fourteen people died, at least 6,700 homes were inundated and there was $980 million ($8.1 billion in 2014 terms) of damage after the swollen Brisbane river surged through the city on Sunday January 27.

The flooding came after near-record rainfall over the wet summer, which was topped off by torrential falls from January 23, caused by Tropical Cyclone Wanda.

Between January 24 and 29, central Brisbane alone received an enormous 650 millimetres of rain.

The army and the fire brigade were called into action, even helping to repair the Pauls milk factory in South Brisbane, where waters reached six feet.

City underwater

1974 Brisbane floods

Buildings in the CBD became islands and the Botanical Gardens (bottom-left) was turned into a lake. Photo: State Library of Queensland

Riding out the disaster

Port Office Hotel

A boy pushes his bike through floodwaters near the Port Office Hotel on Margaret Street in central Brisbane. Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Days of soaking

Brisbane 1974 floods

Locals walk through water on Mary Street. It took days for the floodwaters to subside. Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Landmarks inundated

Festival Hall

Festival Hall on Albert Street became a swimming pool for this Brisbane local. Photo: State Library of Queensland

Enoggera Dam swamped

Enoggera Dam

Floodwaters rush over the edge of Enoggera Dam, west of Brisbane. The 1974 floods prompted the construction of a new dam at Wivenhoe, the centrepiece of flood-mitigation infrastructure in south-east Queensland.Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Boats replace cars

Breakfast Creek

In suburbs like Breakfast Creek, boats came in handy when the river burst its banks. Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Newspaper coverage

1974 floods

Brisbane’s Sunday Sun newspaper shows photos of flood damage around the city. Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

University flooded

UQ during Brisbane's 1974 floods

The University of Queensland in St Lucia was a victim of its prime riverside location. Photo: State Library of Queensland

Tennyson power station

Tennyson power station

Floodwaters surround the power station at Tennyson in southern Brisbane. The nearby low-lying suburbs of Rocklea, Yeronga and Fairfield were among the worst-hit areas. Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Milk factory goes under

Pauls milk factory

Floodwaters surround the Pauls milk factory in South Brisbane. Supplies had to be brought in from surrounding factories and the army and fire brigade helped to repair the machinery. Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Cleaning up

1974 Brisbane floods

Mammoth clean-up effort: People hose down the ceiling of a damaged suburban warehouse.Photo: Royal Historical Society of Queensland

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