Please note, although your
property may not have been directly affected by this flood event,
the event has been included in your suburb listing because
according to the Bureau of
Meteorology river gauge data, a catchment near your suburb recorded
a high mark. This event may have affected your
suburb.
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. 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.
1 February 1893
A severe tropical cyclone crossed the Central Queensland coast
north of Yeppoon. Buildings were damaged and many trees were
uprooted. As the cyclone moved south record rainfall was recorded
in parts of Southeast Queensland.
2 February 1893
Major flooding occurred at Gympie, Maryborough, and Bundaberg.
Large portions of Gympie and Maryborough were submerged. The Mary
River was reported as being 80 feet above normal at Gympie. During
the afternoon the wharves at Bundaberg were reported as being under
8 feet of water. There were very high tides at Sandgate on Moreton
Bay near Brisbane with seawater flooding overland and large
damaging waves on the beaches.
3 February 1893
The lower part of Brisbane was submerged, and water was still on
the rise. The Elamang and the gunboat Paluma were carried by the
flood into the Botanical Gardens. The Natone drifted onto the Eagle
Farm flats. Storm surge conditions were again reported from
Sandgate with large waves.
Crohamhurst recorded 907 mm of rain in the 24 hrs to 9am 3
February 1893. This remains an Australian record for 24 hour
rainfall, although there have been some unofficial higher
registrations. Early on 3 February a 15.2 metre high wall of water
was observed to roar down a Brisbane River gorge. The water tumbled
down the Stanley River to its junction with the Brisbane River.
4 February 1893
Disastrous flooding occurred in the Brisbane River. Eight feet
of water flooded Edward Street Brisbane at the Courier building.
Numbers of houses at Ipswich, Brisbane, Gympie and Maryborough
washed down the rivers. More than 150 houses were
subsequently washed down the Brisbane River. Seven men drowned
through the flooding of the Eclipse Colliery at North Ipswich. A
man drowned after rescuing his father at South Brisbane.
5 February 1893
The Indooroopilly railway bridge was washed away by the flood.
These were the heaviest floods known in Brisbane and suburbs. The
Brisbane City flood peak was 8.35 metres at 7pm 5 February 1893. At
Maryborough two men were drowned and a family missing believed
drowned while trying to cross the river. Unprecedented flooding at
Maryborough with the Mary River Bridge washed away. The river
peaked there at 4pm on the 5th with more than 130 families homeless
after more than 130 homes were swept away. At Gympie numerous
houses were washed away with a large number of homeless. There were
other deaths in outlying areas. Four children drowned and a
policeman drowned in a rescue attempt. The 225 ton steamer Dickey
was wrecked on a beach near Caloundra at 10am. The beach now bears
its name.
6 February 1893
One third of Victoria Bridge broke away and other spans of the
bridge quickly followed. A man was found drowned at O'Connell
Terrace, a boy drowned at Petrie Terrace, a man was drowned at
Rosalie and two men were drowned when a punt capsized at West
End.
7 February 1893
Two men were found drowned at Fortitude Valley and Bowen Bridge
and three men were lost when a boat capsized in the Brisbane
River.
Link: More Info on the 1893 Brisbane flood
