The Great Flood of 1893 Destroys Victoria Bridge

The Victoria Bridge that connected North and South Brisbane was destroyed on February 6, 1893, during the Great Flood. The previous day, February 5th, the Indooroopilly Railway Bridge had already been destroyed.

The _Brisbane Courier_ reported on February 7, 1893, that the disaster happened around 4 AM. There was a crowd gathered on the dry land at the bridge approaches. The bridge had resisted the enormous weight of water rushing against it all day, but once an inroad was made, it quickly succumbed. The second or third span was the first part to go, likely where the flood waters were running strongest. The report described a loud crash that shook the earth and made surrounding buildings shake. One convulsive heave sent the wrecked portion down the river. Other pieces soon followed, and within half an hour, fully half of the bridge had disappeared.

Images from the State Library of Queensland show the wooden Victoria Bridge during the 1893 flood with water nearly overrunning it. One view from North Quay shows an unidentified ship moored at South Brisbane, and a crowd watching from the bank. Another image shows a large group of people gathered to watch the rising flood waters under the bridge. After the destruction, images show only remnants of the bridge. Some buildings along the river were almost completely submerged, including the People's Cash Store and Hunter's Boot Palace on Stanley Street, and the Victoria Buildings on Melbourne Street, which housed businesses like Thomas Davis's fancy repository, Mrs. M. Sepich's refreshment rooms, and Alfred E. Appleton's ladies' outfitter. Other images show the damaged bridge and flood debris on the riverbank in South Brisbane.