Reflecting on one of Queensland’s most devastating natural disasters

In late January 1974, Tropical Cyclone Wanda brought days of heavy rain to Queensland. The system crossed the coast near Maryborough and moved slowly south, soaking much of the state. By the end of the month, the Brisbane area had recorded up to 900 millimetres of rain, including 314 millimetres in just 24 hours. The extreme rainfall caused widespread flooding across South-East Queensland and further inland.

Floodwaters rose quickly. Streets vanished under water, and entire suburbs were cut off. More than 6,700 homes in Brisbane were inundated. Ipswich alone recorded about 1,800 homes and businesses affected. Across the region, families were forced to evacuate, while emergency services worked around the clock to rescue people and provide support. Sixteen lives were lost.

The damage stretched beyond the city. Major flooding was recorded across the Bulloo, Paroo, Flinders, Cooper, Diamantina, Georgina, and other river systems. Mount Glorious, west of Brisbane, recorded over 1.3 metres of rain in five days. Roads, bridges, rail lines and power infrastructure were damaged across the state. Thousands of people were left without power, and many rural communities were isolated for days.

The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the damage in 1974 at $68 million, with lasting social and economic impacts. In the months that followed, Queenslanders rallied together to clean up, rebuild and learn from the event.

The 1974 floods helped shape Queensland’s future approach to disaster preparedness. The lessons learned led to better flood monitoring, early warning systems and emergency coordination. They also influenced decisions about urban planning, river catchment management and critical infrastructure.

If you ‘d like to find out more, join environmental historian Dr Margaret Cook for a compelling talk at the Queensland State Archives. Dr Cook will explore what caused the flood, how the crisis unfolded, and the long-term impact on Queensland’s communities and infrastructure. She’ll also reflect on how the disaster changed the state, and how we remember it today.

Attendees will have the chance to view original archival records from the time, offering a rare glimpse into the lived experience of the 1974 floods.

The event will be held on Thursday 22 May 2025, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Queensland State Archives, 435 Compton Road, Runcorn. You can register via Humanitix: Remembering the 1974 Floods.

Please note: This presentation includes discussion of traumatic events and loss of life.

Dr Margaret Cook is an environmental historian and Research Fellow at the Australian Rivers Institute (Griffith University) and the Centre for the Inland (La Trobe University). Her work explores climate-related disasters, water history, and the complex relationship between people and rivers. She is the author of A River with a City Problem and co-editor of Disasters in Australia and New Zealand and Cities in a Sunburnt Country.

If you’re unable to attend in person, the talk will be recorded and made available on the Queensland State Archives YouTube channel after the event.