Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, floods 1901

The hefty thunderstorm that hit the district caused the heaviest rainfall that had been seen in the area for several years, taking less than twenty minutes for the main street to become flooded. Floodwater flowed straight through many residences and businesses with many shopkeepers instantly in serious trouble as stock was completely ruined afterward.

Several families at the time had to be removed from their residences as the lower end of Lonsdale Street was completely under water. From Langhorne Street at the rear of the Town Hal,l along with Hammond Road through to Greave's Paddocks. Hemmings' Timber Yard itself at the time suffered a good twelve inches (30.48cm) of water through the premises..

Sadly the extent of flooding wasn't just due to more than four inches (over 10cm) of rainfall in one afternoon, the drains and channels of the town were far too small to carry such a sudden onslaught of water at the time which caused significant damage to culverts.

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