1852 - GUNDAGAI - FLOOD Gundagai
In 1852 the town was considered to be colonial, but on the 25th June that year, a flash flood hit and the town was swept away. Luckily for the townspeople, Aboriginal men who lived in the area were able to help with rescue operations. Using their canoes made of bark, they floated easily and saved forty people who were stranded in the water. The men received medals for their bravery, as well as payment from all of the inhabitants as a gesture of goodwill, although one of the aborigines died shortly after from being exposed to the conditions. The act of the aborigines was remembered, and represented a resolution of any problems between the locals and the natives.
The Gundagai floods of 1852 were some of the worst to ever hit Australia. The floods resulted in eighty nine deaths, the most Australia has ever seen from flooding.
Only three houses were left standing after the flood waters receded. However, once the clean up was completed, another flood hit in 1853.
THE FLOOD AT GUNDAGAI. ONE of the most fearful catastrophes which it has ever been our lot to record will be found reported in another column. The village of Gundagai has been almost entirely destroyed, and it is supposed that at least seventy lives have been lost. Gundagai is, or we may more truly say, was, situated on the north bank of the Murrumbidgee. Most of the allotments were on a tongue of land between the river and a creek which separated it from the high land. When the creek and river rose together, as has generally happened, the unfortunate people were cut off from any means of escape. This appears to have been the case in the present instance. When the residents were convinced there was danger, and saw the raging river rise to their very doors, the creek prevented them from getting to the high lands, and they were compelled to remain until the floods at- tained sufficient height and strength to wash away their dwellings, and launch them into eternity. Many of the unfortunate individuals who have gone to their long account, are much to blame for building in a place which they must have known was liable to be flooded; but the government officers who laid out a township in such a posi- tion have a most serious responsibility in this matter. After the township was laid out, application, on the ground of its being exposed to floods, was made to the Government to shift the site, and allow those who had purchased allotments to change them, but they were sternly re- peanused peanus tention of our readers to the simple nar- rative of our correspondent, to enlist their sympathies for the survivors. Many who before this awful visitation were in easy circumstances, are now destitute. There can never be a more legitimate call upon the affluent for assistance than the present. Whatever is done should be done quickly, and we would suggest that at the usual assemblage at the Exchange at 1 o'clock to-day, two or three gentlemen should undertake to receive subscriptions, and expend them for the relief of the suffer- ers. A supply of warm clothing and blankets is most urgently required.(Ref- The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Mon 5 Jul 1852 Page 2 THE FLOOD AT GUNDAGAI.)
Gundagai was then rebuilt on higher ground of the surrounding hills of Mount Parnassus and Asbestos Hill to save any similar incidents in future. Even with the relocation, the area still suffered from floods.