During the years just before the war, a considerable advance was made in the flood warning system, particularly for the Brisbane River. The great flood of 1893 was only twenty years in the past, and there had been a lesser, but still serious flood in 1908, and the city of Brisbane was growing in size steadily. The Divisional Meteorologist provided a detailed account in the press of the measures which now went into operation when very heavy rain fell in the Brisbane River catchment area.

Reporting stations had been set up on the Brisbane River and its main tributaries. Taking Woodford as an example: no report was made till the Stanley River (a tributary of the Brisbane) reached 16 feet. After this, a report had to be sent by telephone or telegraph every 12 hours till the level reached 22 feet, the danger level. Then reports had to be made every 4 hours to 26 feet, then every 2 hours to 32 feet, and after that, hourly. The reporting was the responsibility of the Police Officer, but provision had to be made for another official (such as the Station Master) to take over if the policeman should be called to other duties. Each report had to contain the following information—time of reading gauge, rainfall since last report, direction and force of wind, state of the weather, height of water on the gauge, and rate of rise or fall per hour. If it was impossible to connect with Brisbane by phone, the Post Mistress would send the message by telegraph.

Bureau of Meteorology