The 1956 Murray River flood involved the rising of waters in the Murray River and flooding of many towns in three states of Australia, including the towns of Colignan

Colignan, Victoria

Colignan is a small rural town located on the banks of the Murray River, in North Western Victoria, Australia. The town is on the border of the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park...

, Iraak

Iraak, Victoria

Iraak is a town in Victoria, Australia, located approximately 35 km south-east from Mildura, Victoria.Iraak and nearby localities Nangiloc and Colignan were established as soldier settlement farming areas after World War I, road access to the area being from the west via Boonoonar on what is...

, Mannum

Mannum, South Australia

Mannum is an historic town on the west bank of the Murray River in South Australia, east of Adelaide. At the 2006 census, Mannum had a population of 2,042. Mannum headquarters the Mid Murray Council, and is situated in both the State Electoral District of Schubert and the federal Division of...

, Murray Bridge

Murray Bridge, South Australia

Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....

, Mildura

Mildura, Victoria

Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...

, Nangiloc

Nangiloc, Victoria

Nangiloc is a small rural community in North Western Victoria on the south bank of the Murray River, about 50 km south east of Mildura...

, Red Cliffs

Red Cliffs, Victoria

Red Cliffs is a town in Victoria, Australia in the Sunraysia region. It is located on the Calder Highway, 16 km south of Mildura and 544 km north-west of Melbourne....

, Renmark

Renmark, South Australia

Renmark is a town in South Australia's rural Riverland area, and is located 254 km northeast of Adelaide, on the banks of the River Murray. The Sturt Highway between Adelaide and Sydney runs through the town; Renmark is the last major town encountered in South Australia when driving this route. It...

, Wentworth

Wentworth, New South Wales

Wentworth is a small border town in the far south west of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It lies at the confluence of Australia's two most important rivers, the Darling and the Murray, the latter forming the border with the state of Victoria to the south. The border with the state of...

 and many others.

The flood occurred due to higher than average rainfalls in Western Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 and heavy rains in the proceeding three months in Murray catchment areas , peaking at 12.3 metres at Morgan, South Australia

Morgan, South Australia

Morgan is a town in South Australia on the right bank of the Murray River, just downstream of where it turns from flowing roughly westwards to roughly southwards. It is about north east of Adelaide, and about upstream of the Murray Mouth. At the 2006 census, Morgan had a population of 426.The...

 . Some areas were flooded up to 100 km from the natural flow of the river.

The flood was and still is considered the biggest flood in the recorded history of the River Murray and described as "the greatest catastrophe in South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

’s history" .

As a result of the flood, the Menindee Lakes

Menindee Lakes

The Menindee Lakes comprise a system of historically ephemeral, freshwater lakes fed by the Darling River when in flood. They lie in the far west of New South Wales, Australia, near the town of Menindee 100 km south-east of the mining city of Broken Hill...

 were constructed to store high flows from the Darling River

Darling River

The Darling River is the third longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales. Including its longest contiguous tributaries it is long, making it the longest river system in Australia.The...

 .

Mannum

Hotels in the main street of Mannum operated their bars from the second floor with boats tying up to the balcony. The flood water broke the levee

Levee

A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...

 bank on 24 August, and had not fully receded until Christmas. To many locals it is common knowledge that the beginning of the roof on the Visitors' Centre in Main Street was the height in Main Street.

Mildura

In 2006, historic flood markers were erected at Apex Park and the lawns of the Mildura Rowing Club at Mildura, indicating the height the river reached in 1956. Additional markers are to be erected at various locations along the river from Wentworth to Colignan. Several towns in South Australia also have depth markers showing how high the floodwaters rose.

Wentworth

The New South Wales town of Wentworth, located on the junction of the Darling and Murray Rivers, erected a statue in 1959 in honour of the Fergie

Massey Ferguson

Massey Ferguson Limited was a major agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Canada before its purchase by AGCO. The company was formed by a merger between Massey Harris and the Ferguson tractor company in 1953, creating the company Massey Harris Ferguson. However in 1958 the name was...

 TE20 tractor

Ferguson TE20

The Ferguson Model TE20 was a British agricultural tractor. It was Harry Ferguson's most successful design, commonly known as the Little Grey Fergie. It was manufactured from 1946 to 1956...

, responsible for helping to erect a levee around the town which kept floodwaters at bay for months. A tractor rally is also held every five years to celebrate the Fergie.

External links

• 1956 River Murray Flood at State Library of South Australia
• 1956 Flood at Culture Victoria