Australia Weather News

Will history be repeated? Forbes faces major flooding predicted to be 'similar to 1990'

Melanie Pearce

Salvation Army store volunteer, Arthur Brown, takes a break from helping with sandbagging in the flooded town of Forbes. - ABC

The Lachlan River town of Forbes in central-west New South Wales is no stranger to floods but some are bigger than others.

The community and the State Emergency Service (SES) have been working since the end of August to monitor and a manage a swollen watercourse which has risen and fallen numerous times with repeated rain events.

Now a major flood is being predicted for Sunday at a level "similar to 1990", prompting a widespread evacuation warning, extra emergency resources to be brought in and causing locals to revisit history to try to ascertain what this one might bring.

Looking to history for a view of the future

The SES and Forbes Shire Council keep records on Lachlan River flood peaks seen in the town and this will help to prepare for the weekend's predicted 10.6-metre flood height at the Forbes Iron Bridge.

The council's website states the town has experienced on average a major flood every seven years since 1887.

Some historical flood peaks are:

  • June 1952 - peak of 10.8m at the Forbes Iron Bridge on the Forbes-Cowra road
  • August 1990 - peak of 10.65m which saw approximately 132 properties with water in their yards or over the floors
  • October 1955 - peak height of 10.62m during which flood waters split Forbes into three islands making movement difficult around the town
  • March 2013 - peak height of 10.55 causing Forbes to be cut in three and flooding at least 16 properties
  • August 1998 - peak height of 10.35m

    • With historical data joined with hydrological information and predictions from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the SES has brought in extra crews including volunteers from other parts of NSW.

    Several flood rescue experts and two helicopters have also been brought to the region for reconnaissance and potential rescues.

    Residents have joined SES volunteers in making sandbags and putting them around at-risk homes and businesses.

    A flood evacuation warning has been issued for residents of more than 50 streets in Forbes recommending people prepare to leave their homes, if ordered to do so, in the next 24 hours.

    Remembering and preparing

    Nicole Richardson, SES controller for the Lachlan region, which covers Forbes, said that while "similar to 1990" flood levels are predicted in Forbes on Sunday, it is difficult to predict exactly what that will mean in 2016.

    She has asked people to talk to friends, neighbours and family about what they saw at their place in 1990 to help in their planning for property protection.

    "Remembering that infrastructure has changed, it may not be the same but it will give people an understanding of what they need to do to be ready," Ms Richardson said.

    Lorraine Everest has lived in Forbes all her life and recounted her memories of 1990 when her family had planned a big birthday celebration for her father-in-law but the town was cut by floodwaters.

    "He was on the north and we were on the south with the food," she said.

    "On the evening of what was going to be his party, we stood down near the Woolworths shopping centre and just saw the water flow through like a river."

    Ms Everest said she particularly feels for farmers who are losing stock and crops in the flood.

    Many people have dug out 1990 and older photographs of the town in flood and scanned or photographed them on digital cameras in order to post them on social media.

    A Facebook page titled 'We grew up in Forbes and are very proud of it' is one place people are sharing their memories and for those who have moved away from the town, there is a strong sense of connection with those who remain and are facing the flood.

    Janet Callaghan posted a picture of her first boss, the late well-known businessman Jim Roylance standing in floodwaters and recounted her memories of 1990.

    She said "it was big to us" but her parents always talked about the biggest ever, the 1952 flood when people had to get around on tractors and army vehicles.

    Rona Ashcroft said in 1990 her home in north Forbes was cut off from the main centre for several days but that side of town had a few corner stores so people could still get supplies.

    "My two younger sisters had to move in with me for several days during the flood as they lived at Bedgerabong, 30 kilometres away", Ms Ashcroft recounted.

    "Before the flood water cut the town in three, my sisters and I were sand bagging for the day at the town hall and we got cut off and needed to be ferried over to our side of town by the fire truck."

    She said this time around, the water was rising more slowly but it was hard to compare because there had been so much rain in recent weeks and everything was full.

    "Emergency services and technology are keeping everyone up to date and things seem more organised this time around," she said.

    ABC