1956 Murray River flood
{{Short description|Severe weather event in Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2011}}
The 1956 Murray River flood involved the rising of waters in the Murray River and flooding of many towns in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The flood was and still is considered the biggest flood in the recorded history of the Murray and described as "the greatest catastrophe in South Australia's history",{{cite press release |url=http://www.unisa.edu.au/news/media2002/130902.htm |title=The greatest River Murray flood eclipses 1956 levels |publisher=University of South Australia |date=13 September 2002 |accessdate=18 September 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206204122/http://www.unisa.edu.au/news/media2002/130902.htm |archivedate=6 February 2012}} although few lives were lost.
The flood occurred due to higher than average rainfalls in Western Queensland and heavy rains in the proceeding three months in the Murray-Darling basin.{{cite web|url=http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/murray/content/dwindlingRiver/floodsDroughtsIntro.htm |title=Past droughts and floods |publisher=State Library of South Australia |accessdate=15 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830180712/http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/murray/content/dwindlingRiver/floodsDroughtsIntro.htm |archivedate=30 August 2007 }} Flood waters moved down the Murray and Darling rivers for seven months and peaked between 11 and 14 August at Merbein in Victoria{{cite web |url=http://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/1956-murray-river-floods/ |title=1956 Murray River Floods |work=Discover Murray Mallee |accessdate=18 September 2016 }} and {{convert|12.3|m}} at Morgan in South Australia. Inflow into South Australia peaked at 341 gigalitres per day, the highest on record;{{cite web|url=https://indaily.com.au/news/2022/11/10/river-murray-flow-raised-again-with-risk-of-biggest-flood-since-1956/ |title=River Murray flow raised again with risk of biggest flood since 1956 |publisher=InDaily |accessdate=16 November 2022 }} the next highest on record is 220 gigalitres per day in 1931.[https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/river-murray-floods/river-murray-high-flows-frequently-asked-questions River Murray floods: FAQs], Department of Environment and Water, Government of South Australia, 2022
From upstream to downstream, flooding occurred in the towns of Wentworth in New South Wales; Colignan, Iraak, Mildura, Nangiloc, and Red Cliffs in Victoria; and many South Australia towns including Renmark, Mannum and Murray Bridge.{{cite book |title=Renmark's Railway Flood Operations 1931 and 1956 |author=Shields, B. P. |publisher=Australian Railway History |date=March 2004 |pages=88-91 }} Some areas were flooded up to {{convert|100|km}} from the natural flow of the river.
As a result of the flood, the Menindee Lakes were constructed to store high flows from the Darling River.
Impact
=Mildura, Victoria=
File:Banrock flood marker 1200dpi.jpg
In 2006, historic flood markers were erected at Apex Park and the lawns of the Mildura Rowing Club at Mildura, indicating the height the river reached in 1956. Additional markers were to be erected at various locations along the river from Wentworth to Colignan.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/milduraswanhill/stories/s1773283.htm |title=1956 flood markers in place |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=25 October 2006}}{{dead link|date=April 2015}}
=Wentworth, New South Wales=
The town of Wentworth, located on the junction of the Darling and Murray Rivers, erected a statue in 1959 in honour of the Fergie TE20 tractor, responsible for helping to erect a levee around the town which kept floodwaters at bay for months.{{cite web |url=https://visitwentworth.com.au/wentworth-walk/ |title=Wentworth Walk |publisher=Wentworth Visitor Information Center |at=Number 10, "Tractor Monument" |accessdate=25 September 2020}} A tractor rally is also held every five years to celebrate the Fergie.{{cite web |url=https://visitwentworth.com.au/events/wentworth-tractor-rally/ |title=Wentworth Tractor Rally|publisher=Wentworth Visitor Information Center|accessdate=25 September 2020}}
=Mannum, South Australia=
File:River Murray in flood at Mannum in 1956.jpg
Hotels in the main street of Mannum operated their bars from the second floor with boats tying up to the balcony. The flood water broke the levee bank on 24 August, and had not fully receded until Christmas.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/history/Transcripts/s1126277.htm |format=transcript |work=George Negus Tonight |author=Negus, George |author-link=George Negus |publisher=ABC TV |location=Australia |title=1956 Murray Flood |accessdate=12 September 2007 |date=7 June 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811202226/http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/history/Transcripts/s1126277.htm |archivedate=11 August 2007 |url-status=dead }}
Several towns in South Australia have depth markers showing how high the floodwaters rose.
In popular culture
Author Philip Pullman used his childhood memories of being taken to see the flood as a basis for his 2017 fantasy novel La Belle Sauvage.{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/philip-pullman-starts-new-trilogy-set-in-his-dark-materials-universe|work=The Straits Times|title=His Dark Materials universe draws Philip Pullman back for new trilogy|first=Olivia|last=Ho|location=Singapore|date=24 October 2017|accessdate=27 January 2018}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20091012030754/http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/1956floods/ 1956 River Murray Flood] at State Library of South Australia
- {{cite web |url=http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1416 |title=1956 floods |work=SA Memory |publisher=State Library of South Australia |date=25 March 2010 }}
- [http://cv.vic.gov.au/stories/land-and-ecology/1956-flood/ 1956 Flood] at Culture Victoria
{{Floods in Australia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1956 Murray River Flood}}
Category:20th-century floods in Oceania