ROARING WALL OF WATER FROM CREEK
Buildings, Stock, Roads and Bridges Suffer
FIVE FAMILIES HURRIEDLY LEAVE HOMES
Sunday.
The biggest flood in the history of Lilydale, in the North East, occurred with startling suddenness yesterday morning, when Rocky Creek burst its banks and a wave of water swept through the township, carrying all before it.
The flood followed a cloudburst on the slopes of Mount Arthur, under which Lilydale nestles. Nearly three inches of rain fell at Lilydale between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m., and 415 points were registered between 2 a.m. and noon. Buildings, fences, crops, stock, roads and bridges, which were in the path of the roaring wall of water, suffered severely, and the damage amounted to many thousands of pounds.
Five families had to vacate their homes hurriedly at Lilydale, and two persons at Underwood, which was also in the storm-belt, were knocked unconscious by lightning and were shocked. The bridge on the main road at Underwood was swept away, and a large gum-tree was shattered by a lightning flash.
The tail of the storm struck Dilston and George Town, on the East Tamar, inflicting damage. The flood-waters subsided almost as quickly as they had arisen, leaving denuded gardens, broken fences, flattened crops and a coating of silt in the houses through which the water had swirled.
Shortly after 9 a.m. the waters from Rocky Creek overflowed with great suddenness, and in a few minutes the main road through Lilydale was beneath a raging torrent. Enormous volumes of water poured through the town, houses in its path were soon flooded, doors of garages were smash ed in, fences were flattened, and gardens and lawns were torn up. The house and garage of Mr. Walter Arnold were the first to suffer. The water roared its way across his large vegetable garden and tore up the top soil. The contents of a stack of sawn timber containing 1500 super feet were lifted bodily and carried 50 yards be fore the greater portion was deposited in an adjoining yard. The rest was scattered within a wide radius, some even being carried into the main street to join wood and large quantities of other debris that was being swept away.
Within a matter of seconds two large wooden doors on the back of his garage were smashed in, and water and mud poured into the building, swirled round two motor cars, and found an outlet through a hole in the front wall hastily made by the removal of two weatherboards. Mr. Arnold started up his motor lorries immediately he realised the seriousness of the position, but he barely had time to put his family on board one of them and move out, so quickly were the waters rising. As it was, the flood was already lapping over the running boards, and a little later the depth of water in the garage was considerably above the engine.
House Vacated
When it was seen that the waters were still rising rapidly several residents vacated their homes. They were Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Green, Mr. J. H. Manzoney and family, Mr. Richardson and family, Mr. Leslie Dornauf and family and Mrs. Power. Men waded through the torrent, which was then waist deep, and carried out the women and children. Difficulty was experienced in removing Mrs. J. B. Manzonoy from the residence of her son next to the Methodist Church. Great care had to be exercised, as the water was surging past with great speed and swirling back from fences and other obstructions. Floating debris also had to be avoided.
In Mrs. Power's house the water was more than 2 feet in depth, and a great deal of damage was caused to floor coverings. Residents in more fortunate positions made their homes available to the women and children, while the menfolk returned to do what they could to protect furniture and salvage belongings that in many instances were being carried away by the flood.
A stack of wood in Mr. Arnold's yard was washed across the road and the greater portion was swirled through several backyards and over paddocks to Station Road where it was piled up against a fence fully 100 yards dis tant.
Council Offices Suffer
At the Council Chambers the water was very deep and was running strongly. lt entered the court room, the council clerk's office and the police office, and soil from Trooper W. Doyle's garden next door was deposited inches deep in three of the rooms. New fences at the police station and the Methodist Church were razed by the flood, and numerous small bridges and culverts were swept away. The water entered the butcher's shop of Messrs. Bardenhagen Pty. Ltd., and it was about 3 feet deep on the floor of the bakery owned by Messrs. W. Dornauf and Son. The butcher's shop owned by the same firm also suffered considerably.
Mr. H. L. Bardenhagen with difficulty rescued a horse in his stable. The water had reached the animal's body when he got to it. A small bridge over the large table drain at the rear of his premises was lifted bodily and carried 10 to 15 yards. His residence, purposely built a foot above the previous highest flood level, was not affected, although the water was within 4 inch es of the flooring.
A high, paling fence and a large stack of firewood on the northern side of the Methodist Parsonage helped to dam back the water, which flowed into the parsonage, the church and the Sunday School.
At the Lilydale railway station the tunnel under the railway line was not large enough to carry the storm water, with the result that the rails were covered, and in some places on the railway reserve the water was 10 feet in depth.
Gardens Ruined
One of the most serious aspects of the cloudburst was the tremendous damage caused to gardens and farms. The raging waters carried away the top soil, and acres of vegetables in market gardens were devastated. Mr. Stanley Grandfield's farm was seriously damaged, paddocks of peas and potatoes being practically ruined. Mr. Fred Kelp's orchard and growing crops were also badly damaged, but it is considered that the most serious loss was experienced by Mr. Phillip Arnold, who is a market gardener on a large scale. On the property he had thoroughly worked and fertilised the ground, and all kinds of vegetables were making excellent growth. The fierce rush of the flood waters swept away the top soil and carried off the plants, doing untold damage. Six to seven acres of his market garden were under 5ft. of water for some time.
Sheep Drowned
At Bangor Mr. Walter Arnold, of Lilydale, had several acres of potatoes and half an acre of carrots and parsnips completely ruined. Several farmers at Lilydale had cut their grass early, which was still lying in the paddocks, but it was carried right off their farms by the force of the water.
Near Mr. Archibald Brooks' house on the Lilydale-Bangor road the flood was such a raging torrent that five head of cattle were swept over a fence into an adjoining paddock, and deposited on higher ground.
The Bangor flats also received the full force of the torrent, but it was some time after the flood was at its height at Lilydale that the waters reached the property of Mr. C. W. McCarthy on the flats. Some hundreds of sheep were grazing on the flat land adjoining the river, and without any warning the water overflowed the banks. About 40 sheep were quickly marooned on a small island, but as the waters rose they were washed off one by one and drowned, the majority being lost in this way. Some were moved to safety, but it was impossible to-day to tell exactly how many had been lost.
A property opposite Mr. M'Carthy's home was covered with water, but sheep being grazed there found safety on a narrow ridge and stood with their heads and the tops of their backs showing above the flood until carried to safety. Mr. H. Downie, of Bangor, had five of his sheep drowned.
The flood waters reached their peak at Lilydale about ll a.m., then began to fall, although continuous rain until early in the afternoon caused them to rise again shortly after[noon]. This was only temporary, however, and by the late afternoon very little water remained on the road. Yesterday masses of debris were mixed up in heaps along the fences left standing. Front gardens held a miscellany of articles, and most back gardens at the northern end of the town were washed away. The soil from them was de posited in heaps alongside houses, and in the six homes most affected by the flood silt covered the floors to a depth of from 1½ to 2ins. Floor coverings were spread out in the sun to dry and hoses and brooms were used to clear out the mud and silt.
Roads Damaged
The concentration of flood waters from Underwood, Lilydale, and Bangor was in the Karoola and Lower Turnor's Marsh districts, where considerable damage was done to roads and bridges. A large bridge on Bateman's road at Turner's Marsh was destroyed. The road leading from Lilydale to Mt. Arthur was seriously damaged, as also was the road at Retreat and that between Lilydale and Lebrina. The Karoola road was not greatly affected, although four miles from the main road turnoff, water was over the bridge and road for some time. The creek near the Karoola railway station overflowed its banks and the approach was under water for about 100 yards, but the bridge was not affected.
The Minister for Lands and Works (Major T. H. Davies) arrived at Lilydale by motor car about 5 p.m. yesterday. He inspected some of the damaged homes, and roads, footpaths and bridges. The Minister authorised repairs to Government buildings and fences, and stated that he would assist the council on the £ for £ principle in repair ing roads and bridges. He also authorised the Warden to grant immediate relief to any case of distress and said that provision would be made at once to give employment to those who are out of work because of the flood.
Saw Bridge Fall
Mr. H. W. Jones, of Underwood, who lives on the northern side of Piper's River, was an eye-witness to the destruction of the Underwood bridge. "Shortly after 2 p.m. my grand-daughter said that something had hit the bridge," he said to-day. "I went out into the rain, and saw that the railing of the bridge was at an unnatural angle, and a second later the structur collapsed into the flooded creek. The bridge, which was a single-span structure, was about 40 feet long. Caught in a car in the flood near the Underwood bridge, on a road between Glenford Farm and the main road, Miss H. N. Thorpe, of Underwood, had an unenviable experience. The car stalled, and Miss Thorpe discarded some of her garments and waded waist-deep through the torrent and over the doomed bridge to obtain assistance. Mr. S. J. Morrison took a horse and ropes to the car, which was hauled over the bridge to safety. Mr. F. Hart was a passenger in the car, which was rescued just in time, as it is estimated that 30 minutes afterwards the water had risen a further two feet. It would then have been sufficiently high to sweep the car and its occupants into the raging stream.
The loudest thunder claps and most vivid lightning flashes occurred at Underwood about 7 a.m. The largest blue-gum tree in the township was shattered, and a woman and a girl received severe shocks. The gum-tree, which was on the recreation ground, was splintered at the trunk and portions were flung far and wide. One large piece of timber landed on a wood-heap 250 yards away, and other pieces struck the church, smashing a window, and damaging a portion of the iron roof.
Mrs. S. J. Morrison was struck to the ground and rendered unconscious by lightning when she was feeding chickens. Almost simultaneously Heather West (15) received a severe shock from a lightning flash. She was filling a kettle with water from an iron tank at the back of her parents' home at Underwood when she was flung to the ground, and it was some minutes before she regained consciousness.
Heavy Bridge Damage
An immediate start will be made by officers of the Public Works Department to repair damage caused by the flood, and £200 supplied by the Government and the Lilydale Council on the £1 for £1 basis will be spent at Lilydale immediately to repair the worst of the damage.
The Minister for Lands and Works (Major T. H. Davies) stated to-night that it was thought between £2000 and £3000 damage had been caused to Government bridges, although it was impossible until the floods had subsided to give anything like an accurate estimate. As far as the Underwood bridge was concerned, a new structure, probably in concrete, with much longer approaches, would be built. In the meantime a temporary structure would be placed across Piper's River near Underwood. Work on the temporary structure would be started to-morrow, and it was hoped to have it completed within a week.
The Bangor bridge would be examined as soon as the water subsided. In the Lefroy district the approaches to the Currie River bridge, which had just been constructed, had been washed away, but a gang of men would start work to-morrow morning to restore them.
The large bridge on the Bateman road to Turner's Marsh had been destroyed and several persons isolated. He would get a report on the position there to-morrow. So far as the roads were concerned, Major Davies said, he had not received full reports of the damage done. About four miles of the highway between Launceston and Scottsdale has been under water, and about £200 damage done. For about three chains of the route to Mt. George the surface had been half washed away, but the concrete culverts were intact. To-night the road to Ross was underwater and the causeway was being used. The water was expected to subside quickly, however. Repair work would be carried out at an early date.
Heavy Launceston Fall
Heavy rain, accompanied by vivid lightning and thunder, began to fall in Launceston at 4 a.m. yesterday, and continued practically without cessation until 4 p.m. At 9 a.m. 148 points of rain had been registered and in the remainder of the period 61 points fell, making a total of 209 for the 12 hours. The aggregate rainfall for December to date is 317 points, compared with an average of 198.
The heavy rain rendered the holding of sporting events impossible. The first meeting of the season to have been conducted by the Danbury Park Trotting Club was postponed, and will take place next Saturday. Last season the club's first meeting also had to be postponed on account of rain. All cricket, tennis, bowls and vigoro were postponed. The Launceston greyhound racing club was able to conduct its meeting on Saturday night, however.
Although George Town only received the tail-end of the deluge fairly extensive damage was caused when the creek burst through a cement wall near the main traffic bridge. Although the water rose nine feet over the top of the main wall of the swimming pool it was not damaged. However, the decking and woodwork at the side were carried away and swirled into the middle of the pool.
At Dilston the water rose several feet over the jetty yesterday. Today it had subsided a good deal, but was still nine inches above the jetty. On either side of the road the country was inundated, and in parts the water was six feet deep.
A feature of the storm at Beaconsfield was the vivid lightning. Rain began about 3 a.m. and was accompanied by thunder and lightning. At 10.30 a.m. 103 points had been registered, but no serious damage was done.Flood Following Cloudburst at Lilydale Causes Extensive Damage (1937, December 13). Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954), p. 7. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article68528395
Thanks to Ruth Mahnken at Glenford Farm Road for providing this article reference.
Phillip Mahnken's List of Lilydale Articles at NLA Trove