1954 flood

1954 flood

  • Cyclone spotted

    Well developed tropical cyclone, named 195303, identified northeast of Vanuatu, moving southwest.
  • On the move

    Cyclone continues southwest between February 14 and February 16, threatening to hit the east coast of Australia.
  • Things get worse

    Cyclone turns southward. Avoiding sudden landfall means the cyclone - instead of hitting one section of coast and abating - now threatens the entire southern Queensland coast and beyond.
  • Towns hit

    Coastal towns in QLD south of Rockhampton flooded and lashed by gale force winds as the cyclone continues slowly south at 18 km/h.
  • Cyclone reaches the Northern Rivers

    Rain begins falling on the Far North Coast about midday, accompanied by gale force winds. By midnight on the 19th, torrential rain hammers the entire region.
  • The Night of Horror

    Dubbed “the night of horror”. The cyclone veers southwest and crosses the coast somewhere between Tweed Heads and Southport, passing over the Border Ranges.
  • Cyclone fades out

    Making landfall quickly downgrades the cyclone to an intense low pressure system. By noon, the deluge was over, skies were clear and sunny.