1956 Murray River flood

Severe weather event in Australia December 2019 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",http://www.unisa.edu.au/news/media2002/130902.htm The greatest River Murray flood eclipses 1956 levels University of South Australia 13 September 2002 18 September 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20120206204122/http://www.unisa.edu.au/news/media2002/130902.htm 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.http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/murray/content/dwindlingRiver/floodsDroughtsIntro.htm Past droughts and floods State Library of South Australia 15 September 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070830180712/http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/murray/content/dwindlingRiver/floodsDroughtsIntro.htm 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 Victoriahttp://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/1956-murray-river-floods/ 1956 Murray River Floods Discover Murray Mallee 18 September 2016 July 2026 InternetArchiveBot and 12.3 m at Morgan in South Australia. Inflow into South Australia peaked at 341 gigalitres per day, the highest on record;https://indaily.com.au/news/2022/11/10/river-murray-flow-raised-again-with-risk-of-biggest-flood-since-1956/ River Murray flow raised again with risk of biggest flood since 1956 InDaily 16 November 2022 15 November 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221115231915/https://indaily.com.au/news/2022/11/10/river-murray-flow-raised-again-with-risk-of-biggest-flood-since-1956/ live the next highest on record is 220 gigalitres per day in 1931.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.Renmark's Railway Flood Operations 1931 and 1956 Shields, B. P. Australian Railway History March 2004 88-91 Some areas were flooded up to 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 right|thumb|Flood markers at Lock 11, Mildura. The second red marking from the top is where the river reached in 1956. thumb|Marker at Banrock Station 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.http://www.abc.net.au/milduraswanhill/stories/s1773283.htm 1956 flood markers in place ABC News Australia 25 October 2006April 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.https://visitwentworth.com.au/wentworth-walk/ Wentworth Walk Wentworth Visitor Information Center Number 10, "Tractor Monument" 25 September 2020 July 2026 InternetArchiveBot A tractor rally is also held every five years to celebrate the Fergie.https://visitwentworth.com.au/events/wentworth-tractor-rally/ Wentworth Tractor Rally Wentworth Visitor Information Center 25 September 2020July 2026 InternetArchiveBot Mannum, South Australia thumb|1956 flood in Mannum 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.http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/history/Transcripts/s1126277.htm transcript George Negus Tonight Negus, George George Negus ABC TV Australia 1956 Murray Flood 12 September 2007 7 June 2004 https://web.archive.org/web/20070811202226/http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/history/Transcripts/s1126277.htm 11 August 2007 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.http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/philip-pullman-starts-new-trilogy-set-in-his-dark-materials-universe The Straits Times His Dark Materials universe draws Philip Pullman back for new trilogy Olivia Ho Singapore 24 October 2017 27 January 2018 6 February 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180206083802/http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/philip-pullman-starts-new-trilogy-set-in-his-dark-materials-universe live References External links 1956 River Murray Flood at State Library of South Australia http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1416 1956 floods SA Memory State Library of South Australia 25 March 2010 1956 Flood at Culture Victoria Murray River Flood Category:20th-century floods in Oceania Category:1950s floods Category:1956 natural disasters Murray River Flood Flood, 1956 Flood, 1956 Murray River Flood Murray River Flood Murray River Flood Murray River Flood Category:1956 disasters in Australia