Rare, c.19th hand coloured engraving of the Bridge over the Barwon, at Walgett.
THE north western district of the colony is not included among the wet localities of N. S. Wales. In fact the average rainfall is amongst the lowest of the meteorological records kept at the observatory. Nevertheless rain does fall occasionally, and when it does it comes to some purpose. The downfall is semi tropical in its character. The rivers, usually very low, quickly rise and become swiftly running torrents. Such is the force of the current, and the small get away, owing to the level nature of the country, that the troubled waters soon overflow the high banks, and spread out in one vast area, which presents at this time the appearance of a huge lake, dotted here and there with trees, springing, as it were, from the surface of the water.
The Barwon, on which the town of Walgett is situated, is especially liable to these periodical floods, which occasionally do considerable damage by sweeping away fences, timber, and occasionally bridges. The engraving we publish on another page gives a capital idea of one of these sudden rain storms. Although the bridge is not quite submerged, it is completely cut off from the shore by the rushing torrent, which completely covers the approaches. The rain falls in sheets, and everything for the moment looks drear and dark. Such a scene is vividly depicted in our illustration, which shows the Walgett bridge standing in mid stream, the river a banker, and one of the river steamers rounding the western end. It is hardly necessary to say that when steamers are able to get up to this bridge at all, they do not usually go over the approaches.
The scene depicted here gives some idea of the difficult navigation of Australian rivers, and the troubles with which the masters of the steamers have to contend.
From the original edition of The Illustrated Sydney News.
References:
Gibbs & Shallard. Illustrated Sydney News. ISSN 2203-5397.
Collections:
State Library New South Wales: F8/39-40
State Library Victoria: PCINF SLVIC=1853-1872
National Library Australia: Bib ID 440095
