Old news from Armidale and New England

Saturday 24 June 1950, The Sydney Morning Herald

Flooded Creeks And Blocked Roads Handicap Wide Area

Apart from the main flood areas, many other parts of the State are struggling to get back to normal after the heavy rains of the last fortnight.

Below are detailed reports from “Herald” correspondents:

Armidale

Heavy rains have swollen rivers and disrupted communications east of Armidale

The Kempsey-Armidale Road is blocked by landslides and many outlying properties are isolated.

The heaviest rains have fallen on the eastern escarpment and the Snowy Ranges.

The Chandler River yesterday afternoon was the highest ever recorded and was still rising at the Chandler Bridge, on the Wollomombi-Ebor road, 25 miles east of Armidale.

The Macleay River at Comara was 26 feet 9 inches and still rising.

Ebor, at the top of the Snowy Ranges, reported that all small creeks were in heavy flood with snow falling and very heavy rain. Ebor Creek was about to break its banks. Ebor recorded 325 points of rain from 9am to 4.30 p.m. yesterday.

Other rainfall figures for 24 hours were:—Guy Fawkes, 310; Yooroonah, 400; George’s Creek area, 320; and Jeogla, 324 points.

Macksville

The higher reaches of the Nambucca River were in full flood yesterday afternoon and widespread flooding of down-river areas seemed likely.

At Macksville last night the river was 6ft 6in above normal and still rising.

The entire Central North Coast was blacked out for most of the night.

Fierce winds of gale force and torrential rain on iron roofs made speech almost inaudible.

Practically every town and village in the shire is isolated. A bus with nine passengers and mail, has been marooned since Thursday afternoon between two flooded creeks near Missabotti, six miles from Bowraville.

Large areas of low land around Macksville are under water and the Pacific Highway is blocked by the flooded Warrell Creek six miles south of Macksville.

Long stretches of the highway between Macksville and Nambucca Heads are expected to be under water by to-day.

At Bowraville, nine miles above Macksville, the Bowra River rose 14 feet in 24 hours and at 3 .m. yesterday was 26 feet above normal and still rising.

Bowraville Bridge on the main road to Macksville is eight feet under water and Bowraville is isolated Bowraville his had 13½ inches in a week.

Taylor’s Arm, the other main tributary of the Nambucca, was 28 feet above normal at 3 p.m. yesterday, a rise of 11 feet in 24 hours, and was still rising a foot an hour.

Maitland

Heavy rain caused the Hunter River to rise again at Maitland yesterday but police believe further floods are unlikely unless rain continues in the Upper Hunter reaches.

Rail services from Newcastle to High Street Station, Maitland, were resumed yesterday.

North bound passengers were transhipped at High Street and taken by road to Farley Station, three and a quarter miles from Maitland. The line north of Farley can take traffic.

Maitland station is still under three feet of water and it will be at least four days before the floodwater recedes.

The road from Newcastle to Maitland is still blocked by more than two feet of water at Hexham and East Maitland.

Floodwaters receded from the main business section at Raymond Terrace yesterday but many homes are still under water.

At Morpeth the receding Hunter revealed 10 inches of mud in some houses.

Tenterfield

Tenterfield is isolated because all roads are impassable after the five inches of rain which fell yesterday.

Tenterfield Creek, which is usually only 20 yards wide, was 500 yards across yesterday afternoon.

Police said there was no flood danger at Tenterfield because the town is on high ground and the rain got away quickly.