Flood Relief Ephemera - Past and Present

While adding 2011 material to our flood ephemera collection (short-lived or transitory material produced for a specific purpose and not intended to have lasting value) we found this 1893 flood relief coupon issued by the Executive of the Relief Committee for the supply of rations and clothes.

The Newspapers of the day advertised events to raise money for flood relief, several concerts were organised by musical societies of Brisbane, who deemed it their duty to raise money for the cause.  The 1893 flood occurred after five cyclones that had crossed the coast near Noosa, bringing drenching rain to the Brisbane and Stanley River watersheds.

"The Flood Relief Committee met in the Town Hall and Mr. W. Jones occupied the chair, there were about thirty members present at the meeting. A letter was read which had been received by the Mayor from Mr. H. P. Abbott, inspector of the Australian Joint Stock Bank, which stated that the Flood Relief Committee's balances, amounting to £26,872 18s. 4d. and £820 19s, had been released in full and placed in the bank where it could now be accessed."

This article appeared in The Queenslander, Saturday 15 July 1893, page 127, 128.

John Oxley Library encourages members of the public to help record the events surrounding natural disasters past and present for future generations. You can contribute by sending in flood or cyclone related ephemera to:

John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, PO Box 3488, South Brisbane QLD 4101