1974 flood

The 1974 flood was the largest since 1893. It became the costliest disaster in Australian history at the time. The river peaked at 5.45 metres in the city, after tropical cyclone Wanda hit Brisbane with 600 mm of rain over three days in late January. 14 people lost their lives and 300 were injured. 13,000 homes were affected and the damage bill totalled an estimated $320 million.

Margaret Cook (2018) “It Will Never Happen Again”: The Myth of Flood Immunity in Brisbane” Journal of Australian Studies

Image: Hoogley Street, West End, 1974. Courtesy: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.