Urban flooding in Australia

Australia has one of the most variable patterns of rainfall of any country in the world, and the suffers from both prolonged drought and unpredictable flooding. The locations of the country’s cities reflect the difficult relationship that existed between Australia’s European settlers and water: in the colonial period the sites of urban settlements were dictated by the availability of fresh water. However, water in Australia is unpredictable as well as scarce, and the watercourses that supply Australia’s cities are prone to flood. This chapter explores the history of urban flooding in Australia, and uses the 2019 Townsville flood to provide insights into Australian flood experiences, flood memory, and flood preparedness.