Gold Coast weather: Storms which flooded and devastated the city from 1891-1967

The Gold Coast is still drying out after copping a walloping downpour over the past week, drowned by more than 233mm of water in four days. But there have been far worse floods which left the city devastated. SEE THE PICTURES

THE Gold Coast is still drying out after copping a walloping downpour over the past week, drowned by more than 233mm of water in four days.

The city has had its fair share of bad weather over the years, from cyclones to erosion.

Here are three of the most memorable moments from more than 50 years ago.

1893

Ruins of first Southport swimming bath in 1891. Photo take from the roof of the Pacific Hotel.

Southport was one of the region’s busiest townships in the late 19th century and grew quickly in the 1880s, with everything from a railway and pubs to the Southport Pier and this very newspaper becoming fixtures.

The pier was damaged in 1891 when an east coast low swept through in June that year.

More damage came two years later during the Black February Flood of 1893.

Ruins of the first swimming baths, Southport Pier.

Tropical Cyclone Buninyong bore down on the Queensland coastline, causing the Brisbane River to burst its banks and significant damage down the coastline.

At the time the Broadwater did not exist and Southport fronted onto the open sea, leaving its shoreline at the mercy of the weather.

The swimming baths at the pier were completely destroyed in the flooding and bad weather.

40+ images: Gold Coast’s worst flooding and storms

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1938

An unidentified man sitting on his house steps amid flood waters at Moondarewa, South Stradbroke Island, Queensland, 1938

Bridges were lost and many towns and cities isolated, including Brisbane itself.

A photo in the Gold Coast City Council Local Studies Library archive shows a South Stradbroke Island resident sitting on the stairs of his house in the small township of Moondarewa. The town was effectively wiped out and swallowed by the sea in the flooding.

The land where it once sat is long gone as the island moved to the north.

Today the site of Moondarewa is near that of present-day Sea World.

1967

44-gallon drums full of concrete on Surfers Paradise beach 1967

In January 1967 Cyclone Dinah moved down the coastline off the Coral Sea.

While never crossing the coast, it caused havoc in Surfers Paradise where the Nerang River burst its banks.

Streets were flooded and beaches heavily eroded. Part of The Esplanade collapsed leaving a 5m hole near Staghorn Ave.

Beach stairs exposed and damaged by severe erosion, Mermaid Beach, Queensland, 1967. Source: Gold Coast Libraries Local Studies Collection.

During the storms, more than 1000mm fell on the Hinterland, while Springbrook recorded 1631mm of rainfall.

Photos went around the world showing the city’s ruined beaches.

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Sandbags and car bodies used to try and stop beach erosion on the Gold Coast, 1967 Source: Gold Coast Libraries Local Studies Collection.

In a desperate bid to halt the erosion, car bodies and 44-gallon drums filled with cement were pushed onto the beaches as a makeshift seawall.

Newly elected to the office, Mayor Sir Bruce Small understood that drastic action was needed to boost the region’s reputation and so undertook one of his most famous adventures — he took the famous Surfers Paradise Meter Maids on tour to cities such as Sydney and Melbourne to spruik the Gold Coast.

Originally published as Gold Coast weather: Storms which flooded and devastated the city from 1891-1967