The heaviest rainfall in Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s history occurred 70 years ago—during the weekend of Saturday-Sunday the 21st and 22nd of February 1948. Nearly 300 millimetres of rain fell in less than 36 hours, causing widespread flooding and severe property damage. A massive clean-up operation followed.
Boulder Subway, note how far the water is from the bridge.
It was nature’s kind of anger,
a weekend of solid rain
From North Kal to Gribble Creek
it caused a lot of pain
Gold mines, town shops and houses,
were inundated by the flood
So too roads and many schools,
and, yes, the Boulder Sub
Stranded were trains out at Zanthus,
so too traffic to the west
The clean-up job enormous;
no time for any rest
Chock-a-block were outlying lakes—
Hannans, Rowles and Gidgie—
Getting there was a problem,
water for miles to see
So, when will all this soaking stop?
somebody popped the question
a cyclone right behind it,
brought on indigestion
Then Lady Luck stepped to the fore,
the storm, it slipped to the east
Townsfolk were mighty grateful—
they’d dodged a bigger beast
So rest-up you folks this summer,
please, no whingeing of the heat
In the total scheme of things,
your goldfields life is sweet
By – John Terrell
Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper clipping of Monday 23 February 1948.
Kalgoorlie Railway Station Platform 1948
Moya Sharp
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That Boulder subway was of course on the road eastward up Burt St and Fimiston Street to the Boulder Block, also part of the route of the big motor bike races that circum travelled Kalgoorlie and Boulder and drew many big performers from all over Australia. Thus the subway was the gateway to the Golden Mile, just down from the great mines such as the Lake View and Star and Great Boulder to name two, tony