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1949 Macleay River FloodPrint Page Print this page

19-May-2015
19-May-2015

Photographs supplied by Sandra Brown

A plaque commemorates the 60th anniversary of the 1949 Macleay River flood and remembers the six people who lost their lives. 

In August 1949, the Macleay River in north eastern New South Wales caused major flooding in Kempsey and the lower Macleay floodplain. The flood destroyed numerous homes and the rescue efforts were severely hampered after the phone lines went down and the local radio station went off air. About 2000 people were made homeless in Kempsey and many shops were severely damaged and stock ruined. 

Six people died in the flood, five of them in Kempsey. A 13-year-old boy on a horse at Smithtown drowned after he went to get some cattle in for his father. 

Location

Address:Clyde Street, Mall, Kempsey, 2440
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -31.079725
Long: 152.840773
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Flood

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 28th August, 2009
Front Inscription
IN MEMORY OF LIVES LOST 

This plaque commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the 1949 Macleay River flood and remembers with respect and dignity the six people whose lives were lost during that tragic event. 

                          These were : 

• Patrick Connelly (71) and Margaret Connelly (72) 
  brother and sister of Eden Street, Kempsey

• Leslie John Baker (9) and Julie Baker (2) 
  brother and sister of Belgrave Street, Kempsey

• William Hugginson (78) of Verge Street, Kempsey

• James Plummer (13) of Clybucca

                  28th August 2009


 
Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au