Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum Forum Index Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum
Hostels were used to accommodate new Australians. 1950's-1970's
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

East Hills Floods
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum Forum Index -> East Hills Hostel Forums:
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Phyl Phyl has been starred
Respected Contributor:


Joined: 05 Jan 2007

Posts: 544
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:53 am    Post subject: East Hills Floods Reply with quote

Hi Len
I wonder if there are folk out there who remember that in 1954 and 1956
East Hills hostel was flooded when the Hammondville Creek ,which discharges into the Georges River , flooded, after torrential rain, the surrounding areas ,East Hills being part of the area.Three rows of nissens were evacuated and around 150 residents doubled up with other residents.Flooding was all over the Liverpool area and Cabramatta Hostel was quick to accommadate flood refugees.There were so many of these and the hostel was so full that many people slept on the floors.. I read about this in Company Tidings 1972 from the memories of one of the Managers' in charge.There is a photo there with people outside the nissens ,past their knees in water,but guess what, two dogs were having a great time. Cool
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
barkly barkly has been starred
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 02 Aug 2008

Posts: 18
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember the floods very well. We had lived on the hostel 1952-55 whilst we waited for a navy house just up the road - now Voyager Point and very expensive.

I have many stories about the hostel and have a couple of pics.

Barkly
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Phyl Phyl has been starred
Respected Contributor:


Joined: 05 Jan 2007

Posts: 544
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Barkly,
Great to read your posts We were at Heathcote Rd. Hostel 1954 to early 1955. We were later ,in 1967, posted to East Hills Hostel, and were there till early 1971..Love to read your stories and see your pictures.
Smile
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
barkly barkly has been starred
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 02 Aug 2008

Posts: 18
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:27 am    Post subject: The Collapsed Footbridge Reply with quote

In 1956 we were on the Naval estate and the 'real big' floods cut off the hostel. We were actually at this time staying in Woolhara at the residence of the Reverend Dowding looking after his son Peter whilst he was off somewhere on business. Peter later became the Premier of WA. My mother used to do houskeeping for the Rev. as he was a widower - his wife had commited suicide. Tragic story. Rev Dowding was a close fried of Dr Evatt and he used to visit - this was of course during the Petrov Royal Commission.

Anyway you may also recall the footbridge collapsed I think in 1956 about 12:20am just as someone was walking home - he got off and down it went.

The government provided a service across the George's River by motor boat and later when they got better organised by ferry. The skippers used to let us boys drive the boats - really exciting.

From memory it took about 18 months before the footbridge was replaced with one with steel pylons.

I went back a few years ago and had a picture of myself taken at the back of one of the Nissen huts facing Williams Creek. They are all gone now of course.

I learned to swim in Williams Creek.



Last edited by barkly on Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:12 am; edited 2 times in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Len
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 24 Aug 2004

Posts: 883
Location: Great Harwood, Blackburn. UK

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the photo, its great.

Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Phyl Phyl has been starred
Respected Contributor:


Joined: 05 Jan 2007

Posts: 544
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gee Barkly,love the photos you have sent in. Very Happy
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
Phyl Phyl has been starred
Respected Contributor:


Joined: 05 Jan 2007

Posts: 544
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

great photo of the nissen Very Happy Cool
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
barkly barkly has been starred
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 02 Aug 2008

Posts: 18
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:14 am    Post subject: Col Nissen Reply with quote

I am finishing a family history book. During my research on my grandfather's service in the Royal Engineers in WW1 I discovered that the Nissen hut was designed by Col Nissen a member of the Royal Engineers as accommodation for the troops behind the line.

The design didn't change - hot in summer and cold in winter.

Terry
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Phyl Phyl has been starred
Respected Contributor:


Joined: 05 Jan 2007

Posts: 544
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How true and interesting too
We used to put a damp blanket at the front and back door The doors of course were open and any little bit of breeze would be cool ,we hoped. Also Tony would put the sprinkler on top of the roof and turn the water on to try to cool the place down and we pulled the curtains. If you opened the windows the place became hotter Sad The joy of nissens Laughing
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
Len
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 24 Aug 2004

Posts: 883
Location: Great Harwood, Blackburn. UK

PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recieved a photo from Sean Cairns. Its a photo showing a flooded-out nissen hut. Sean doesnt know too much about the photo itself but it sure look like it was taken at the time of the floods.
The hut number is 64A or 84A



barkly wrote:
Anyway you may also recall the footbridge collapsed I think in 1956 about 12:20am just as someone was walking home - he got off and down it went.

I wonder if this is a photo showing the collapsed bridge?

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
aussietrekker aussietrekker has been starred
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 06 Jul 2009

Posts: 790
Location: Geelong

PostPosted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The mozzies must have been feral for weeks after that lot. Shocked
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
richardhallford richardhallford has been starred
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 26 Mar 2007

Posts: 152
Location: Melbourne

PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:42 am    Post subject: 2nd Photo of bridge Reply with quote

The second photo of the bridge is very hard to see and is pixellated. Notice though what appears to be a possible rail bridge on the left of the photo, or maybe even a car bridge. There was never at any time a bridge just to the left of the old footbridge. The Rail bridge over the river came later too, so Im guessing its actually perhaps an entrance to a boat launching area, to the East of the Railway bridge. Hard to see the opposite side of the bank with the resolution of the scan or upload.
Thoughts, inputs, comments................?
_________________
East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Len
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 24 Aug 2004

Posts: 883
Location: Great Harwood, Blackburn. UK

PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that Richard. The photos I received are unfortunately very poor and Sean isn�t to sure where the photos where taken.
I only guessed that it maybe the collapsed bridge but having read what you said it does now look like a jetty or something. Surprised
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
barkly barkly has been starred
Active Member
Active Member


Joined: 02 Aug 2008

Posts: 18
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't made a contribution for a while but check in regularly.

I can explain this photograph.

What you are looking at is the jetty that the boats used to use to take on board their passengers looking across the river to the station side where you can see what I beleieve is a pile driver which would have been constructing a more substantial jetty which was to accomodate larger vessels. From memory it took about 18 months to replace the bridge.

The large trestle structure on the left is the bridge where the centre section collapsed. The bridge that replaced this wooden one was itself replaced by quite an impressive footbridge which still exists. The railway crossing of the river is further down stream about a kilomtere.

Terry
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Len
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 24 Aug 2004

Posts: 883
Location: Great Harwood, Blackburn. UK

PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that Terry. Sean wasn't sure what it was, I think he found the photo amongst some of his other old photos.
Cheers
Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum Forum Index -> East Hills Hostel Forums: All times are GMT
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
 
 
Copyright � 2003 migrantweb.com
Images on this site are owned. Reproducing, republishing or mirroring on other WebPages or websites without permission is not permitted.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group