Botany Bay Storms and Floods

In January 1937 the Botany Bay region experienced heavy storms and flooding which caused much damage in the Booralee Park region and along Botany Road.

Photograph courtesy of Christine Moss. Donated to the Library and Museum for the Rewind Pause Play Photography Competition. Winning photograph for Best Landscape Image.

This article from The Advertiser published on January 26 1937 describes the storm and some of its effects.

Sydney Floods - Grandstand Collapses 

Several children were injured one fatally, when portion of the grandstand at Booralee Park collapsed as they were sheltering in it. Arthur Milton Green was hit by a beam and died from his injuries at the Royal South  Sydney Hospital. The same gust or wind also brought down a huge tree beside the grandstand. 

The wind did freakish damage. When, the storm was at its worst the roof of a produce store in Botany Road, Botany I was fluns into the air and descended on the tramway overhead wires, where it hung like a cowl. The main power lines were damaged for nearly three-quarters of a mile along Botany Road. Automatic apparatus cut off the power as the wires parted and prevented serious accident, but left large areas without light. 

The home of Mr. W. J. Thomas, in Stevens Road, Botany, a wooden cottage measuring 75 feet by 18 feet, was lilted from its foundations and carried about six feet until it crashed against an adjoining house. Mr Thomas said afterwards that surprisingly little damage had been done.


Read other reports regarding this storm by clicking here.

Were you or anyone you in the area during these storms? Have you been in any other large storms or disasters in the area? Share your memories by clicking here and let everyone know.


Sydney Floods. (1937, January 26). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931-1954), p. 20. Retrieved December 16, 2010, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47780009