Battling Big Floods in 1914

Extracts from the Moruya Examiner and South Coast Advocate 28 March 1914

– The March flood of 1914 which visited this district during the early part of the week was exactly two feet lower at Mullenderree and on the flat land on this side of the river than the flood of 1898, just 16 years ago.  The flood in the river was equally as rapid and almost as high as the ’98 flood.  Mr. Weatherby’s boat shed was wheeled round and now rests on the rocky foundation with the entrance looking downstream at an angle of 75 degrees.  The same gentleman’s pontoon and boats were saved through being tethered to Mr. Flynn’s fence whilst the oil launch was protected by being moored in a safe spot in Malabar Creek, as also was Mr. Pete Davis’s launch.

– The approach to the lower town wharf was washed away and a large hole 15 feet deep was washed out on the lower side just at the back of the stone wall. Other washaways in the vicinity of the store are in evidence, and the agent’s private office was left with a cant which gave that important structure an appearance anything but prepossessing.

– On Tuesday Mr. Martin McMahon brought his milking herd over from Malabar farm to this side of the river.  This gentleman had a brood sow and three slips drowned, but fortunately his prize boar and other valuable pigs escaped.

– The residences of Messrs. W. McIntosh, R.J. Matthews, and Jimmy Gay, one of our market gardeners, just below Dr. Quilter’s in Campbell-street were surrounded and the European families were removed by Capt. “Arty” Weatherby, assisted by Harry Davis, who rowed a boat round the lanes from the steamer’s wharf for the purpose.  The Gay celestial, however, preferred to sink or swim with his belongings and positively refused to budge from his castle, his lettuces and cabbage.

– Mr. and Mrs. J. Heffernan and family were rescued from their home, Mullenderree, on Tursday morning in a boat by Messrs. P. Lynch, Jack Davis, Bert Taylor and Jas. Donovan, when the water had risen nearly three feet throughout the house.

– The Graham family, who are working Mr. H.E. Simpson’s Mullenderree farm, found a friend in Mr. J.R. Milne, who removed them from their home in his wagonette when the water in the residence was ankle deep.  Both Messrs. Heffernan and Graham’s residences are built on high blocks, which will give our readers some idea of the depth of flood water over the flat land.

– Our farmers have suffered more or less heavily.  At Kiora the biggest losses were sustained. Mr. Kenneth Taylor had a plot of planter’s friend valued at £150 almost totally ruined, its value now being estimated at about £10.  Messrs. J. Louttit, F. Hancock, A. Russell and others higher up are reported as having suffered serious losses.

– At Bodalla four out of five cows trying to cross from Greenway to Trunkitabella were carried down the Tuross River and drowned.

The winds and floods have caused so many breakages to our telegraph lines, and washaways and bog holes on our main roads that telegraph and mail business has been completely disorganised during the last four or five days. The mails from Sydney via the coast and Braidwood, also those from Bega were cut off, and with so many telegraph lines down Moruya residents were kept in the dark as to how the outside world wagged…   28/3/1914