Jon Mitchell was 16 years old when he floated through Maitland floodwaters on the roof of a house.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He was one of about 2000 people who attended a 60th anniversary exhibition that commemorated the infamous 1955 Maitland flood on the weekend.
Mr Mitchell told the Mercury that he sought refuge from rising floodwaters on the roof of a Mount Pleasant Street home one morning in 1955.
But he said a wall of water rushed at the house and washed it along the street toward The Long Bridge.
“It smashed up against that and we were dragged underneath and out the other side and they [rescuers] picked us up at Testers Hollow,” Mr Mitchell said.
“We didn’t have time to be scared, we didn’t have any control over it, we just had to go with the flow.
“How are you going to fight against a torrent like that? It’s impossible. We were dead lucky.”
Hunter State Emergency Service community engagement officer Amanda Hyde said the exhibit of old photographs and newspaper clippings at Maitland Town Hall had been more popular than she had expected.
“The photo sets that we have, a lot of them have never been seen before, so it’s the first time they’ve been on public display,” she said.
“In our 200-year history, this was definitely the biggest and most disruptive flood in the Hunter Valley.
“There was no dedicated emergency service in 1955 which meant everyone pulled together – anyone who had a boat came out and helped with the rescue.
“It really highlights community connectedness.”
For more on the 1955 flood:
