The Argus at KellyGang 29/10/1867
THE FLOODS AT WHOROULY
(FROM THE OVENS ADVERTISER OCT 19)
The public have very little idea, indeed, of the sufferings, dangers, and damage-not to speak of the deaths-occasioned by the late floods in this district. Whorouly is very flat and low lying, but for five-and-twenty years many places that are now settled on were never known to be under water until now. On Sunday week the waters had attained their greatest height, and it appeared to Mr Clement, and three brothers named Barker, who were themselves flooded out that morning, that some persons must be in danger of their lives. Luckily, they had two boats, or rather rude and dangerous canoes, made merely by hollowing out logs, and with these, and another made on the spot, the Barkers, Clements, and other whole hearted men, determined to risk all to save human life. They first removed their own families to a place of present safety.
The waters were at this time at least four miles wide, but a neck of land reserved by Government was still two feet above the flood, and luckily there was a hut there into which the women and children were crowded, and some provisions hastily collected. They then launched their boat, steering through the paddocks to the nearest houses. At some of these houses the people were on the roofs, in some cases even in the trees, but in every case they immediately brought off the women and children. Throughout Sunday night the Barkers plied their frail boat, for "cooeys" were heard in all directions, and shots were fired, showing that females were in danger, and before Monday night there were no less than nine families huddled together in the hut. Besides human beings, there were pigs and cattle, and dogs, and horses, and snakes, and lizards in- numerable, collected on this spot, so that, with a quaint grim humour, on that dreadful night they christened the place Noah's Ark, a name which the point will no doubt for ever bear. For three days and three nights the Barker Brothers never rested, returning for the men when the women were all saved, and bearing themselves with indomitable pluck and unending energy.
At one place a little boy waded out of a hut towards the boat, through the rising flood, but before the boat could reach him he dropped into the well-hole, which was, of course, full, and covered with water. Lot Barker immediately jumped out of the boat, and brought the little fellow out by the heels. Nothing, in fact, could exceed the heroism and constancy of these men. Amongst the incidents the following not very agreeable one happened to a man named Hughes. While endeavouring to save himself by climbing into a tree, a snake tried to save itself by climbing under the leg of Hughes's trousers, and he was apparently so solicitous about the waters that he did not know what was taking place until the snake's head emerged from his collar near his ear. The snake was over five feet long, and catching it by the tail, he drew it out by a spasmodic effort, and hurled it away. Several dead bullocks and cows were seen floating down the river, and we must only hope that more human lives have not been lost than are at present known.
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