Rockhampton history: Iconic Depot Hill sign in 1991 flood

The message to sightseers was loud and clear. Do you remember when and why this sign was put up outside a Rockhampton watering hole? Read to find out.

The year was 1991 and Rockhampton was facing its worst flood in 37 years.

This classic photo taken outside a Rockhampton pub was published in The Morning Bulletin and the sign said it all about Depot Hill residents’ attitude to sightseers during the flood.

As Rockhampton Regional Council carries out its annual flood barrier exercise, to prepare for the incoming flood season, we took a look back on one of the city’s worst flooding events on record.

Here’s what The Bulletin reported about the 1991 flood:

The Fitzroy River, steadily swollen to a 9.15m level at 9.30pm on January 6, was lapping the footpaths of Quay St as Rockhampton faced its worst flood in 37 years.

Flooding began on December 29 in the wake of Cyclone Joy, and at one point about 1000 people had been evacuated from their houses.

A photograph published in The Morning Bulletin during the Rockhampton 1991 flood.

Major road, rail and air links were cut, in the worst inundation since 1954 when a flood peak of 9.4m was recorded.

As the 1991 flood peaked at 9.3m, on January 9, three men tragically drowned at Port Curtis when their boat capsized in turbulent water.

The trio, Wilhelm Theodore Steffen, 35 (unemployed), Peter Brannelly, 40 (Pioneer Hotel publican), and Peter Gibbons, 32 (fisherman), had set out in a 14-ft aluminium dinghy from Depot Hill to check Gracemere property.

Footnote: This historical information was published in The Morning Bulletin’s 150 Years of News 1861-2011 special publication which was researched, edited and written by Sue Smith.