DAYBORO DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC April09

EST. 2004

Over recent weeks, with the heavy rain and flooding in various parts of Queensland, a number of visitors to “Dayboro Cottage” have enquired about local flooding.  
It is believed that the flood which occurred in February 1931 was the biggest flood in Dayboro, with the 1974 flood a close second.

We have not, at this stage, located any records of the 1893 flood’s effect on this area. 
The following is an extract from the North Coast and Stanley District News dated Thursday, 12th February 1931:
Flooding in Dayboro in 1931—see article below
“DAYBORO
As a result of the heavy rain on Wednesday night and Thursday, thousands of pounds worth of damage has been sustained.  On Thursday morning rain fell at the rate of an inch an hour, and the flood was worse than that of  93 (1893.  In the main street, there was over 3ft. of water and several houses had to be abandoned.  All communication with Brisbane was cut off, and severe washaways occurred on the railway line.  The water was nearly a foot deep in the butter factory.  The Rush Creek bridge collapsed, and losses of stock are reported.  Several land slides are reported, including the new partly constructed Dayboro-Mount Mee main road and the road to Ocean View.  The damage on the new construction on Dayboro-Mount Mee road is estimated at several thousands of pounds.  The approaches to the bridges over the Pine River at Lacey’s Creek were badly damaged.  Telephone communication was interrupted until Saturday afternoon.
When the Rush Creek bridge collapsed Harold Hart, a youth who was standing on it, was swept into the river, but escaped without injury.
It will be some considerable time before rail communication is restored.  Considerable damage is reported to the railway line further down, and bridges and culverts are reported damaged to a considerable extent.
Dayboro township was isolated for three days.
MOUNT MEE
The rainfall registrations during the period at D’Aguilar and Delaney’s Creek were not so high as on Mt. Mee, which registered 54 inches (that is approx. 1370 ml) at the State School for the eight days…”

The photograph (on previous page) would have been taken either before or after the flood had peaked.  It has been taken from the verandah of the house next to what is now Matilda Service Station.  Sadly, the only building still in existence is “Dayboro Cottage” which is the second building on the right.  The buildings are (from left to right) the Railway Stationmaster’s house, “Dayboro Cottage” then occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Mick & Annie Linnane, the cottage occupied by Mr. & Mrs. George & Silvery Rohlf, Mr. & Mrs. Charles & Alice Scanlan’s large house occupied by Brisbane Bus Lines drivers in later years,  Ted Long’s butcher shop and a large building built by Ted Long which was to become the second garage in the town at one stage owned by Wally O’Hara and at a later date by Keith Kelly & Les Fealy.  The cottage on the left was occupied by sawmill workers over the years.  The railway line crossed the main street between the white posts and rails.

PHOTOGRAPHS: 
Does anyone have any other flood photographs of Dayboro over the years that we can add to our collection?  I am sure there must be plenty out there somewhere.