It was a wet start to April,1929.

Families were settling inside the comforts of their homes blissfully ignorant to what was about to occur. 

Intense rain and high winds had hammered the state’s North-East.

The newly built Briseis Dam, near Derby, unable to cope with the deluge, saw its banks break.

It resulted in a torrent of water rushing down the Cascade River and into populated areas. Fourteen people died.

In Launceston, the North and South Esk Rivers were raging. There had been consistent rain for the 48-hours prior to the flooding.

By April 5, The Examiner had published a Special Flood Precaution Issue, in which Launceston Mayor RM Osborne issued a warning to the residents of Inveresk that there was a possibility of houses being flooded.

Residents took the warnings with a pinch of salt, the area had flooded before and they had been safe.

By Friday, the Duck Reach power station and gas pipelines had been destroyed, plunged the city into darkness.

On April 6, the Launceston bell began to toll signalling it was time for Invermay and Newstead residents to evacuate. Those not affected by the floods responded to the call. Four thousand people were evacuated.

Bert Monds was one person who helped evacuate people from Invermay. 

“I got our of the bed, left my wife in the bed, and got the car out and I went to Invermay. And a party of us, about 25 or 30, started lifting the people out of Invermay, Mr Monds said. 

“We went from house to house and told them, ‘You’re for it. Your home will be under water within an hour or two. You’d better move out’.”

“I spent until one or two in the morning, with my car, lifting these people out of their houses and taking them to higher levels because they were going to be flooded… We could still drive at that stage and we went on driving until we were forced up to Mowbray Heights by the rise of the water.”

While the men rescued stranded people, many women made their way to the Albert Hall and Invermay School to set up camps for dispersed people. The Salvation Army and Girl Guides volunteered their time too.

In the thesis Lauceston Flood April 1929 and its affect on the people of Inveresk, Lark Bushby, estimated that about 500 people were taken to the Albert Hall and about 3000 to Invermay School, with another 500 at Mowbray school or staying with friends.

“The volunteers were table to set up primitive working facilities and serve soup and porridge to the people. For the people this was a difficult experience,” she wrote.

“Rosa Patterson said that her mother was very distressed and upset at being out in this situation … 

“Some of those interviewed, who were children at the time of the flood did not find the experience at the halls distressing and seemed to accept the situation quite happily.”

Sir Raymond Ferrall, who was also part of the rescue effort, was appointed special constable to help patrol the streets throughout the flood.

In an interview with Launceston talks: Oral Histories of the Launceston Community, he mentions the turmoil the floods brought.

“The Albert Hall was utter chaos! People laying there on palliasses and mats and heavens knows what and, of course, organising food supply was pretty awkward.

“We had to get tucker along to them. The other thing, of course, the lights went out on the night of the flood and they stayed out for about four nights. We all had to use candles,” he said.

“As the waters started to go down we kept the patrol going until we went aground on the roadway. A fellow called Rowley Ellis … and I were patrolling up Gunn Street… It was an absolutely dead still night.

“The water was absolutely calm, there wasn’t a breath of wind, and suddenly the lights went on in the houses. It was a most eerie sight to see.

“Houses off the crown of the road were still underwater and to see these lights go on … it was a most eerie experience.”

Damage from the flood was extensive, with about 2000 homes and buildings damaged. Two suspension bridges over the Gorge were swept away.

Wharves were made useless from debris. Reports of the death toll vary, between 14 and 22, eight of which were from a truck going off a bridge into a flooded river.

It was a long recovery after the flood. Shops and businesses were affected with damage estimated at 10,000 pounds. Residents relied on donations of clothing and food. In total, Tasmanians gave 67,000 pounds to help in the recovery of the flood.

The 1929 flood was above the level identified as a 100-year flood. The disaster brought the focus on a need for a suitable flood levee system in Launceston, that was put to the test in June 2017.