Sunday History Photo. WA

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 01:33
ThreadID: 65223 Views:5269 Replies:11 FollowUps:4
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1968 Meckering Earthquake

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At 10:59 am on 14 October 1968, a 40-second earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale destroyed the town, and had effect on a considerable area in the south western region of Western Australia.As it was the "Queens Birthday" public holiday, the risk of casualties was reduced. Buildings in the metropolitan area of Perth were damaged as a result of the earthquake, and tremors were felt as far away as Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, and Albany.
Many of the buildings collapsed including the impressive two storied town Hotel. Just west of the town on the highway the earthquake fault line is crossed. Interpretation on the impact of the earthquake plus a telescoped piece of the Perth to Kalgoorlie pipeline are on display in park land in the town. You can also see a ruin of a house that has been preserved. The building codes and various structural issues for Western Australia were modified as a result of the earthquake and further development of earthquake engineering.

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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 01:53

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 01:53
Hi Doug, remember the day well. I even remember what I was doing when the quake hit.

Cheers

Deanna


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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 13:58

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 13:58
Me too. I was doing the washing on the concrete verandah, when it felt like the concrete was 'boiling'. I huge crack where i was standing had about an inch drop after the quake. We went through Meckering on our honeymoon around six months later, and it was still all much as the press photos at the time of the quake.

Motherhen
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Follow Up By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 22:34

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 22:34
Hi Motherhen, I was very sick in bed at the time and when the shake came I thought it was me going around not the room LOL, a couple of weeks the quake after a group of us girls jumped in my old FB Holden and headed out to have a look, devastation is all you could call it. The memories that these photos are bringing back is amazing, unfortunately Dad & Mum didn't take any family snaps when we were young so consequently I have only my memory of times gone by, such a shame but I can tell I have made up for it with my family, boxes of photos everywhere.

Cheers

Deanna


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Follow Up By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 00:07

Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 00:07
Hey D didn't think you were that old either. LOL. Me I was only 10. Only licence I had was ........................mm None.
Dunc
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Reply By: Red Tail Black (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 02:10

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 02:10
Hi Doug,
Yes we remember the day as well. I always remember my mum getting under the table as it reminder her of the bombing in London during the war.
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - Alan H (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 07:44

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 07:44
Doug

Remember it well.

There was a classic photo around then of the railway line with a sudden dogleg in it that showed the amazing forces involved.

Also think there was one showing a sudden step in the ground caused by the quake.

Alan
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Reply By: Member - Footloose - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 08:02

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 08:02
I always stop in that park on the way across. As I recall
one photo is of the sign on the pub the day after, "Open...all drinks shaken but not stirred". Obviously a touch of Bond humour there.
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Reply By: Smudger - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 10:32

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 10:32
I was on holiday with the family on an Uncles' farm at Manjimup - by my reckoning about 400 miles from Meckering as the crow flies. Weidest thing ..out in one of the paddocks I didn't feel anyhing, yet my Dad and brother were in orchard not more than 600 metres away and the tees were moving, "like corks on the ocean." And back at the homesteads, two houses side by side, all the crockery fell from the old aunties' kitchen hutch ..and next door, nothing.
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Reply By: equinox - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 11:36

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 11:36
Here's a picture from my year 5 primary school diary.

I presume it is the fault line at Great Eastern Highway.

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Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 13:45

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 13:45
I was going to my gradparents at Pemberton after a fishing trip with my uncle. We were towing a boat and the car was all over the road, just like on corrugations. Didn't know what was going on until we got home and the family said about the earthquake. They said they could hear it coming before it hit.
Rod
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Reply By: Member - Lionel A (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 16:24

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 16:24
If your passing through Meckering stop off at the Road House.
The rear of the cafe is full of photos, old newspaper reports and local information on the quake.

Great way to spend a few minutes while waiting for your 'Big Breakfast'.
Sausages, bacon, eggs, mushooms, onions, tomatos, toast washed down with a liter or two of iced coffee....mmmmmm.

Its only 20 minutes up the road from me, may go for a quick drive.


Cheers....Lionel.
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Reply By: new boy - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 16:47

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 16:47
I too remember the day myself and 2 mates were on the coast road coming back from Geraldton It's now the Brand Highway the road was rough so we didn't feel a thing . My Mother was in Merridin visiting my sister the whole house shock she had to return to Perth via Bruce Rock as the photo above showed the main rd was cut and impassable
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Reply By: Flywest - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 17:12

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 17:12
Yep - remember the day well - was flying paper gliders inside the house and kept flying them to see if they would "vibrate in the air" like the rest of the house, while mum was screaming for us to run outside in case the house collapsed.

Cheers

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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 19:45

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 19:45
We had just come back from England (2 & from), and renting in Cloverdale. The lady next door was in her garage and the parked car bounced and trapped her against the wall. Mum & Dad took us kids for a day trip out to Mekering the newt weekend and I climbed down one of the cracks in a farmers paddock. Pretty amazing stuff.
Dunc
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Follow Up By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 22:41

Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 22:41
Geez Dunc didn't think you were that old!!!!!!!!!!LOL

Cheers

Deanna


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