Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

[Phyl]

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.
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[barkly]

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

[Phyl]

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.

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Kind regards,
Phyl

[barkly]

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.

[Len]

Thank you for the photo, its great.

[Phyl]

Gee Barkly,love the photos you have sent in.
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[Phyl]

great photo of the nissen
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[barkly]

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

[Phyl]

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 The joy of nissens
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Kind regards,
Phyl

[Len]

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

[aussietrekker]

The mozzies must have been feral for weeks after that lot.

[richardhallford]

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................?
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East Hills Hostel Aug 1966 to 1968. Nissen Huts 81 and 83d

[Len]

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.

[barkly]

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

[Len]

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