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VICTORIA.

* We,(Maitland Mercury?) are in receipt of Melbourne papeis to the 24th May. There had been very heavy rains over nearly the whole colony, and high floods had been experienced on the Yarra and other streams near Melbourne, and on the Barwon at Geelong. On the 24th the "floods were beginning to lower a little. By papers one day later, received in Sydney per Sha?nrock, we see that three persons, a gentleman and two ladies, residing on the Werriby, not far from Melbourne, were drowned, their house being swept away by the flood. Other fatal accidents were also reported, but the correctness of the reports had not been, ascertained. In Melbourne a great deal of property was washed away* the flood covering the. wharves and lower streets ; and the residents in the canvas and wooden tQwn on the south bank lost their habitations which were swept away.

[From the Geelong Advertiser, May 24.] The Floods. — Every Hour brings tidings of fresh disaster, and on all sides the receding waters reveal their work of destruction. At Bates' Ford, the Marrabool swept over the bridge and flooded the valley on either side o. its banks, to the base of the hills, forcing the inhabitants to seek refuge on the house tops of those dwellings that were not submerged. On Saturday morning, Mr. Varey rode into Geelong to procure a boat to succour the insulated inhabitants, but happily in the interim the water had subsided in a great measure, so that access to the various houses was possible by waging breast high. Great as the peril and destruction of property has been, we have not heard authentically that any life had been lost — though a rumour was prevalent that a bullock driver was washed away, and .drowned on the morning of Saturday. The houses in this localityhave been gutted, pigs and poultry drowned, hay stacks , floated off, and corn stacks saturated and spoiled. The occupants of Mr. Varey's house made their escape by breaking down the ceiling over the bar, crawling through the aperture to the loft above ; and this instance will suffice to show the suspense and agony of others in the neighbourhood, when overtaken by this unforseen disaster. We were informed that on the roof there were clustered together at least twenty women* and children, crying for help. On the opposite side of the Marrabool the waters had flooded Mr. Primros's public house, and the large paddock facing it; but as approach towards the river, which ran like a torrent, was impossible, we are unable to furnish details of the injury done there — but as far as the eye cculd reach, extended one sheet of water, with here and there a dry top, a remnant of paling, a drooping tree, or the gable end of some small dwelling peeping above the surface. At Saw Pit Bend the river rose tremendously, and threatened to sweep all before it. The rise of water here is unprecedented, and has caused serious loss. Captain Fyan's house is situated on a slight elevation at the befid of the river, below the quarries ; and so threatening had the surrounding waters become, on Friday afternoon, that the family had to escape from the premises to prevent being overwhelmed" with the flood. Captain Fyan's loss is very great, the whole of his live stock, consisting of cows, pigs, poultry, &c, were swept away. The building was submerged, his household property destroyed, his improvements wasted, and a loss to the amount of some thousands inflicted. The Barwon has swept off. immense property from its banks. The water; on Friday, washed close to the base of Collins' and Gray's flour mills, the machinery, boilers, &c, in which, we are told, are under water ; but the most serious loss of all is the Barwon bridge. The Barwon bridge stood well until about two o'clock on Sunday morning, when it yielded with a crash before' the force of the water, and the injury it had sustained from drifting trees and logs. Piles and logs have gone ; nothing is left but a post and a few rails, to mark where the bridge was. At daylight on Saturday morning, the wreck of destruction that presented itself on all sides was appalling. At South Geelong the water was rushing with terrific force, sweeping everything that came in contact' before it. Trees, bullocks, tubs, long lines of fencing and lumber of all descriptions were lo be seen floating, or rather rolling, down the current. The whole expanse of country to the south of this part of the Barwon could not be under less than 20 feet of water, the river being at least 30 feet above its usual level. High trees that here and there 'formerly diversified the scenery, could only be recognised by a glimpse of their topmast branches. On Sunday morning a hay .stack sailed, over the site where the bridge stood, and soon after a chest of drawers followed in its wake. On the Barwon Terrace, houses and gardens have been many feet under water, which, had only partially subsided yesterday at mid-day, when carts laden with furniture were employed . in saving the little that had escaped the inundation. \ The properties at the Breakwater have been much injured, and a large number of the population placed in fear of, death- By the exertions of several volunteers in a boat, five families were rescued from situations of great danger. The current here, "however, was not so great, from the great" expanse of country covered. The ninety-acre government paddock was a small portion of thisMnland sea, the roof of the mounted police barracks standing in the midst like a rock in a tideway. The pound and poundkeeper's house were also covered. When it is considered that Geelong is washed on the south by the Barwon, and o'a the west by the Marrabool, both of which are impassable, and that our knowledge of the disasters of the" flood is confined to a circle of half a dozen miles, the imperfect particulars which we have given cannot convey an idea of one-thousandth part of the damage to the -colony; has occurred at the diggings we dare not conjecture ; while' the fate of Bacchus's Marsh, and other low situations, is probably most disastrous. - " • -

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZSCSG18520814.2.6

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 734, 14 August 1852, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,044

VICTORIA. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 734, 14 August 1852, Page 3

VICTORIA. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 734, 14 August 1852, Page 3

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