Flooding in Maitland

Situated on the banks of the Hunter River amidst a network of tributaries and on an extensive floodplain, the history of Maitland is one of constant reports of flooding which has impacted in many ways upon the urban and social landscape or environment.

Key dates that are regarded as significant in the history of flooding are 1820, 1893, 1913, 1930, 1949 and 1955, however many other flood events have occurred. The most recent storm events in 2007 and 2015 also caused significant flooding in the area, with floodwaters in 2015 cutting off Cessnock Road and access to Gillieston Heights.

The Hunter River flood of February 1955 was the largest flood recorded in the Hunter Valley. The flood height on 25 February was measured at 12.10 metres. State Emergency Service (SES) records released by Floodsafe Hunter, state that the total flood volume for the entire Hunter River system was 2.1 million megalitres, which is enough water to fill Sydney Harbour over four times. It destroyed many homes as water inundated the city and claimed several lives.

Maitland's flood history is included in the local history section of the Maitland Library website. There is also a comprehensive image collection on Flickr under Picture Maitland.