1870 Flood

1870 was a year for minor flooding in Ipswich.

By the 9th March, the Bremer had reached 6.09 metres.  The following day, at Goodna, the post office became surrounded by flood waters and telegraph wires became submerged. 

Continuing rain saw the river rise again on the 14th March.

With the ground retaining the moisture of the previous month, heavy rain resulted in the Bremer rising 2 feet above the wharves on the 15th April and 20 feet above its ordinary level on the 16th, leaving only the roofs of the sheds along the wharves visible.

Come November, drenching rain once more fell on the town.  On the 17th, the wharf sheds were once again submerged and One-Mile Creek had also risen. 

Local and General News, Queensland Times, Thursday 10 March 1870, p.2

We have again to report no relief from the plague of rain with which we have lately been visited. Since Monday night the downpour has hardly ceased a minute, and the fall has been heavier than before, accompanied at times with high winds. From all parts of the district we hear rumours of injury to the growing crops-some of them perhaps exaggerated, though we fear not much so. The Nogoora cotton plantation -formerly Sahl and Tatham's-on the Brisbane River, is, we learn, entirely under water, and similar reports reach us from the farms higher up. At the Pine Mountain, where the crops promised so well, very many of the fields are swamped. Warrill Creek is up, and the country adjacent is like a sea : the same is said to be true of the whole of Normandy Plains. The farms on the Warwick road, near the Peak Mountain Hotel, which lie low, are reported all under water ; and the same intelligence reaches us of some of the farms on Redbank Plains, Laidley Flat, we hear, as in the same condition, and, with a continuance of the rain, it is expected that the country about Alfred, the Rosewood, and as far as Grandchester will all be submerged. The railway works so far have stood well, the trains running punctually to time. The Brisbane coach stuck at Oxley on Tuesday morning, and, except that a steamer went down from Ipswich to Brisbane on that day, there has been no communication since Monday. The river had risen last" evening about thirty feet, and the water had begun to enter the lower floors of the stores, &o., in Bremer-street: it was still rising rapidly, and goods, &c., were being removed to a place of safety. The One-mile Bridge, Little Ipswich, is completely covered, and traffic stopped and fears were entertained last night that that portion of Brisbane-street between Wharf-street and the National School, where the large culvert is, would be submerged. Up to the time of our going to press there was no indication of a change, and it is feared that the present flood will equal in severity some of the worst of its predecessors. The rainfall during the last two days is reported at the telegraph office as follows:--From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 1-41 inches; from 6 p.m. on Tuesday to 9 a.m. yesterday, 3'85 inches; and from 9 a.m. yesterday to 6 p.m., 2120 inches-total in thirty-three hours, 7-46 inches.