3-016-758 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Floods at Melbourne, Australia: St. Kilda Road, south side of Prince's Bridge, 1864. Engraving of a photograph by Messrs. Davies. 'On Dec. 13 heavy squalls of wind, accompanied by rain, swept across the city, and continued to increase in intensity during the three following days. The wind being from the S.W. and S.S.W., a high tide arose. This, coupled with the heavy rain, had the effect of making the river Yarra rise to a greater height than it had ever done before...All communication with the suburbs was completely cut off during two days... Across the St. Kilda road, on the south side of Prince's Bridge, the stream rushed with such force as to tear away a large portion of the road and the fences on each side, as well as the telegraph and lamp posts...Numerous wooden tenements were carried bodily down the river, and, coming in contact with either of the bridges, were dashed to pieces. Gardens and orchards were stripped of their fruit-trees and vines, and large quantities of hay and other crops were carried away.... As the flood has not yet entirely subsided, it is impossible to form an idea of the probable loss through this visitation, but it is roughly estimated that it will take a quarter of a million sterling to repair the damage'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.