Building the myth of immunity

Despite major floods in 1893, 1974, 2011 and 2022, the myth of flood immunity in Brisbane lingers. Governments, developers, and property owners with vested interests in valuable riverside land benefit from this myth. Many factors helped build the myth over decades. This includes confusing terminology, infrequent flood and drought cycles, an increasing population lacking memory of past floods, and faith in engineering. 

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

Image: Aerial view of Brisbane city under floodwaters, January 1974. Courtesy: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.