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Historian Peter Bogan says there will be another 1955 flood in Maitland, will you be ready for it?
After living through the 1955 flood Maitland historian Peter Bogan knows what can happen when a low depression hits the city.
Six decades on the memories are still rife in his mind, and he has a strong message for every Maitland resident.
“Everyone needs to have a flood plan,” he said.
“We will definitely see another 1955 flood.”
Mr Bogan was living with his parents, sister and two younger brothers, in the family home in Carrington Street, Horseshoe Bend, when the 1995 flood struck.
They lost all of their belongings and the water reached up to 1.5 metres into the pitched roof.
Fourteen people died and 31 homes were lost in that disaster.
“Scientific evidence shows this because of the climatic changes we are experiencing – we are getting more intense rainfall in shorter periods, and when that happens the water can’t get away,” Mr Bogan said.
Mr Bogan said central Maitland residents should be aware that they could be flooded from back water, as well as from a levee breach.
He said a back water flood would see water fill low-lying land south of Maitland before it engulfed the railway station and the CBD streets.
Mr Bogan’s knowledge has helped shape the farm flood readiness kit launched by the Hunter Local Land Service last week.
LLS Chair Susan Hooke thanked Mr Bogan and said his passion for Maitland’s flood history had helped instigate the kit.
“Peter Bogan is one of my heroes in this,” she said.
