A River with a City Problem A History of Brisbane Floods (Updated edition)

When floods devastated South East Queensland in 2011, who was to blame? Despite the inherent risk of living on a floodplain, most residents had pinned their hopes on Wivenhoe Dam to protect them, and when it failed to do so, dam operators were blamed for the scale of the catastrophic events that followed. A River with a City Problem is a compelling history of floods in the Brisbane River catchment, especially those in 1893, 1974, 2011 and 2022. Extensively researched, it highlights the force of nature, the vagaries of politics and the power of community. With many river cities facing urban development challenges, historian Margaret Cook makes a convincing argument for what must change to prevent further tragedy. In this updated edition, Cook investigates the 2022 floods to illustrate how no two floods are the same.

Margaret Cook holds a PhD in history from The University of Queensland. She is a member of the Professional Historians Association, has a significant body of work in environmental and social history and heritage conservation, and has worked in cultural tourism and the museum sector. Margaret is a Research Fellow at the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, and an Honorary Research Fellow at La Trobe University. Margaret lives in Ipswich with her husband and two sons. Margaret Cook holds a PhD in history from The University of Queensland. She is a member of the Professional Historians Association, has a significant body of work in environmental and social history and heritage conservation, and has worked in cultural tourism and the museum sector. Margaret is a Research Fellow at the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, and an Honorary Research Fellow at La Trobe University. Margaret lives in Ipswich with her husband and two sons.

Introduction: A Meandering River Glossary The Brisbane River Catchment: Map and Facts 1: Encountering the Floodplain 2: Mighty Outbreak of Nature’ s Forces: The 1893 Floods 3: Taming the River 4: Encroaching on the Floodplain 5: The River Prevails: The 1974 Flood 6: Dam Dependency 7: The Untameable Torrent: The 2011 Flood 8: Flood Management with Hindsight 9: No Two Floods Are the Same: The 2022 Flood Conclusion: Floods Will Come Again Acknowledgements Notes on Sources Notes Index