White, Patrick (2019) A flood of responses: politics and water crises in Townsville since 1860. In: [Presented at the Australian Historical Association Conference 2019]. From: Australian Historical Association Conference 2019: Local Communities, Global Networks, 8-12 July 2019, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

This paper compares civic responses to major flooding disasters in Townsville since 1860. Scholarly attention to flood in northern Queensland has generally focused on the region’s potential to irrigate drier parts of the Australian continent or stimulate development. The emphasis on infrastructure has left responses to flooding in cities such as Townsville relatively unexplored.

Established in the 1860s on a river plain in Queensland’s dry tropics, Townsville is located in an area where both drought and heavy rainfall are common. Since colonial settlement, local governments have battled to secure reliable supplies of water, yet Townsville has endured at least a dozen significant flooding events. Historic flash and riverine flooding over the Ross River plain has disrupted society, damaged property and infrastructure and caused the loss of human lives. Despite these disasters Townsville has continued to expand across flood plains and the disruption prompted by subsequent flooding has increased.

The flooding in Townsville in 2019 gained international media attention after many homes were left uninhabitable and parts of the city became an urban archipelago. As the severity of impacts escalated, the community looked to governments to manage the disaster and lead the recovery effort. In response, the Queensland premier and the Australian prime minister visited Townsville to declare their support and municipal authorities worked alongside emergency services, weather agencies and the defence force to deliver critical information and evacuate and shelter affected residents. This paper explores the evolution of these civic responses to flooding crises in Townsville.

Item ID:	82964
Item Type:	Conference Item (Presentation)
Keywords:	Floods, flooding, Queensland Floods, Townsville Floods, cyclones, local government, riverine flood, Ross River, 2019 flood
Related URLs:	Organisation
Date Deposited:	31 Jul 2024 22:52
FoR Codes:	43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4303 Historical studies > 430302 Australian history @ 100%
SEO Codes:	13 CULTURE AND SOCIETY > 1307 Understanding past societies > 130703 Understanding Australia’s past @ 100%
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