100 years ago from the Moruya Examiner
30-05-1925
Disastrous flood. Farmers ruined. Business paralysed. Elections overshadowed.
To-day (Saturday) is election day. Electors record your vote for the men you think best.
Up to going to press … the poll will be proceeded with to-day, except at the centres of Deua River and Eurobodalla, where owing to flood troubles it has been found impracticable to proceed until 6th June.
Never in the history of Moruya has such a disaster befallen it, as the one which happened during the week, when the whole of the lowlands were completely submerged by flood waters.
From the 5th to the 20th May close on 13 inches were recorded. With a spell of four fine days rain again set in on Sunday evening, and on Monday morning another 108 points had been registered. Rain accompanied by terrific south east wind continued all day and night, the fall increased by a further 540 points. By this time … those living in the lower part of Campbell and Queen Streets had to be removed from their houses. By Wednesday morning another 1080 points had fallen. On Thursday the guage showed 203 points, making a total of 19 inches 31 points in four days.
On Tuesday, as the waters were still rising, the Staunton family came across to town by boat, and whilst crossing the paddocks, had a narrow escape through fouling a wire fence. Before darkness set in half the residents of that locality were sheltering at Turnbull’s Criterion Hotel.
Shortly after midnight the river broke over both banks, all the houses on the town side from the Hotel to Mr. R. Knight’s residence being inundated. Distress ‘phone calls then came from the Milne family.
Sergt. Rose, Messrs. S. Fitzpatrick and Armstrong tackled the herculean task, and succeeded in reaching the marooned people. With considerable difficulty, by breaking a window, Mr. and Mrs. Milne, Mrs. W. Howard and Miss Gladys Milne were dragged through the opening and into the boat.
Dr. Cutler, Messrs. Feneley and Purvis started on the perilous journey to rescue the Louttit family. They found ten men, women and children on the house top. After two nerve racking trips, all were saved.
The scene on Thursday when the waters had subsided was almost indescribable. The loss to the district is incalculable, but many consider that £40,000 would not cover it.
Bodalla. (From our Correspondent) Bodalla residents received another shock on Saturday morning, 16th instant, when it learned that another disastrous fire had taken place. This time it had occurred at the Rectory, and completely destroyed the Rev. Payne-Lewis’s car – also garage, outbuildings, numerous tools, etc. The cause, as in the case of the hotel fire, is a mystery; Over five-and -a-half inches of rain for the week. The river rose again but not to the height of the previous week. …
Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc.