General
How two men helped keep the flood-prone town of Goondiwindi dry for 65 years
Residents of Goondiwindi didn’t run for higher ground when floodwaters reached major levels in the Macintyre River this month.
Key points:
- Goondiwindi’s levee was built in 1956 after successive floods inundated the town
- Today it stretches 21 kilometres along the Macintyre River
- During flood events it is patrolled 24 hours a day
“Everyone headed down to the river!” laughed Rick Kearney, chairman of the local disaster management group.
Ask an Australian over the age of 50 what this Queensland border town is known for and they’ll more than likely name a champion racehorse of the 1970s. Ask a local and they’ll probably point to an extensive bit of civil engineering.
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