08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 1 of 21 AN ACCOUNT OF THE HUNTER VALLEY’S MOST DISASTROUS FLOOD 1955 by Max Spitzkowsky 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 2 of 21 AN ACCOUNT OF THE HUNTER VALLEY’S MOST DISASTROUS FLOOD 1955 FOREWORD BY COL SPITZKOWSKY 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 3 of 21 FOREWORD In February 1955 torrential rain in the Hunter Valley caused major flooding in the Lower Hunter area, and specifically in the City of Maitland. The Hunter River broke its banks at Maitland at about 9.00 am on Friday 25 Feb 1955, and water rapidly inundated the City. This photo was taken shortly afterwards when the water was still rising. In fact, the water later reached almost to the shop awnings, and people were evacuated from buildings into surf boats and Army DUKWs using the awnings as loading ramps. The overall extent of the flood around Hexham, between Newcastle and Maitland, and around Maitland itself can be seen in the photos on the following pages. 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 4 of 21 Hexham Railway Station on the left, looking west towards Maitland. The Hume Pipe Works (now the site of M I Steel) and Hexham Bridge are to the right, The Belmore Bridge at the north west end of Maitland Business District. Sempill St runs to the right next to the River 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 5 of 21 Looking north from overhead South Maitland, with Maitland Sports Ground to the right. Lorn is on the far side of Horseshoe Bend. Looking south east from overhead Telarah, about where the big roundabout is now. Lorn is on the left, across the Belmore Bridge from Maitland. 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 6 of 21 Looking north west from overhead East Maitland. Two surf boats are rowing down High St which is on the left leading from Belmore Bridge in the background, with Maitland Sports Ground on the right. Looking north over submerged houses in South Maitland. A foot bridge has now replaced the old Abbott St road bridge in the upper right corner. 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 7 of 21 About 3 hours after the bank broke on Friday 25 Feb 1955, Newcastle Radio Station 2KO sent a team consisting of Announcer Ron Hurst and Engineers Max Spitzkowsky and Harold Whyte, to Maitland to report on the situation for the benefit of listeners in the area. However, after their arrival, the 2KO team became involved in the wider problems of providing radio links between authorities in Maitland and their counterparts in Newcastle, these authorities including the Police and the Army. The 2KO team worked long hours with little food, drink or sleep, until they were relieved by another team that arrived in Maitland at about 4.30 pm on Monday 28 Feb 1955, a little over three days after they were first alerted for the move to Maitland. The members of the first 2KO team were not alone in their efforts. Many people from the Police, Fire Brigades, Water and Electrical Authorities, the Post Master General’s Department (PMG), and the Navy, Army and Air Force, together with many volunteers including Surf Club members, also suffered deprivation during their time at the disaster. And of course the citizens of Maitland could not return to their normal lives in their homes and businesses for many weeks. People on the roof of their home near Mt Pleasant St, waiting for a rescue helicopter. 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 8 of 21 On his return from Maitland, Max Spitzkowsky wrote a brief account of the adventures of the 2KO team, and their encounters with various characters in Maitland. This account was typed out by Max and mounted in a photograph album, together with a number of photos probably obtained from the Newcastle Morning Herald. Some of these photos are reproduced here. In these days of Mobile Phones and Satellite Communications, it is difficult to believe that less than 50 years ago a flood could completely cut the lines of communication between Maitland and Newcastle, which were then mainly landline (or copper) telephone lines. It is also difficult to believe that electricity supplies could be completely cut off, even from essential services such as hospitals and telephone exchanges. In the following re-typing of Max’s account, I have not altered his words, but I have inserted metric equivalents of the old measurement systems. However, perhaps I should also add here some explanation of the radio equipment that was used by the 2KO team, and was probably the latest technology available at the time. Max Spitzkowsky (left) and Ron Hurst with the equipment they used to record interviews and information for later transmission from Maitland to Newcastle. In his left hand, Ron is holding the tape recorder and microphone. In the centre, Max and Ron share the weight of a lead-acid 12 volt battery or accumulator. In his right hand, Max is holding the inverter, used to convert the 12 volt Direct Current (DC) from the battery, to Alternating Current (AC) for powering the Tape recorder. The total weight of the complete outfit was about 130 pounds (60 kg). In the background is the 2KO Bedford van that returned them from Maitland. 08 GIBSON 1846 Samuel George Gibson 1928 Hugh Gibson Obituary 15 Sep 01 Page 9 of 21 Max’s account mentions many instances of improvisation using available rather than ideal equipment to set up communications. I believe that this approach was fairly typical of the engineer’s approach to life at that time, when resort to basics often overcame challenges that might seem insurmountable now. It is also noteworthy that several people used their own Amateur Radio Stations (Ham Radio Stations) to help with communications from Maitland. These included 2KO Engineers Harold Whyte (VK 2AHA) and Jim Cowan (VK 2ZC), and the Assistant to the Newcastle Radio Inspector, Frank Hincks (VK 2AA). Following this flood, the NSW Government undertook extensive flood control measures in the Hunter Valley. Probably the main actions were the construction of the Glenbawn Dam near Scone, and the Lake St Clair Dam north of Singleton. These dams were primarily designed to collect and retain rainfall run-off near its main source, and later to release excess water for downstream agricultural consumption. Since then the Hunter Valley has largely been transformed from a dairy and agricultural centre into an open cut coal mining centre, and the water is now primarily used in the processing of the mined coal. However, the two dams still very effectively control or prevent flooding of the Hunter River, and Maitland and Singleton floods such as the one in 1955 are now a thing of the past. Max also mentions the loss of a helicopter, and a fatal accident involving a DUKW. The helicopter was a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Sycamore, which hit some power lines just north of the road bridge over the railway line near Maitland Station. All crew and passengers were subsequently drowned. Later, a DUKW antenna touched overhead power lines and three people on board were electrocuted. Amazingly, I think these were the only fatalities resulting from the floods. It appears that copies of Max’s account, or a report based on it, were submitted to the Post Master General’s Department (the PMG, fore runner of Telstra), and to the Australian Broadcasting Control Board (which still exists). Their letters of gratitude and congratulations are reproduced at the end of this copy of Max’s account. Col Spitzkowsky December 2002 Next >