Living with natural processes was frequently a challenge to early European settlers and later residents of what was in the 1850s administered by the Borondara Road Board. This was compounded by the area being bounded on three sides by rivers (Yarra River, Koonung Creek and Gardiner's Creek). In 1849, the historian James Bonwick recorded that "our district [Kew] suffered considerably. Mr Wade speaks of 80 acres, out of 100 acres of his cultivated paddock, covered by water." Newspapers continued to describe major flooding in Kew in 1863, 1869, 1878, 1880, 1889, 1891, 1916 and 1934. While the construction of the Upper Yarra dam in 1957 reduced the levels of flowing downstream, local and riverine floods continue.The Kew Historical Society's pictures and map collections testify to the impact of flooding in the district. They have historical importance in documenting the extent of flooding in the district and its affects on homes, services and recreation. Numerous photographs record flooding throughout the Twentieth Century.Floods in North Kew, 1934. Flood near the lagoon (Billabong?)floods (kew) 1934, yarra river

The great flood of 1934 in Melbourne was one of the most devastating floods since records began. The floods affected all of Melbourne, including Kew.Locally significant photographs of the impact of flooding in Kew in 1934Floods in North Kew, 1934. Flood near Lagoon (Billabong?) Willsmere Road, North Kew.floods (kew) 1934, yarra river

Willsmere Park is bounded by the the Yarra River, Green Acres Golf Club, Willow Grove and the Eastern Freeway. The land on which the park is now situated was bought by Thomas Wills at the Crown Land Sales of 1846 (Section 56). From the 1840s to the 1940s it was intensively farmed. The park is dominated by very large playing fields, while planting to the southern boundary was undertaken when the Eastern Freeway was built. It is only along the banks of the Yarra that there is any remnant native vegetation. Willsmere Park is of significance as an area of open land that remains from the flood plain that once dominated northern Kew. (Source: Kew Conservation Study, 1988)Original colour small format polaroid photograph of the 'Kew Billabong' in the Willsmere Park, taken on 16 September 1993."Willsmere Billabong 16.9.93"kew billabong, willsmere park, yarra river -- billabongs

Willsmere Park is bounded by the the Yarra River, Green Acres Golf Club, Willow Grove and the Eastern Freeway. The land on which the park is now situated was bought by Thomas Wills at the Crown Land Sales of 1846 (Section 56). From the 1840s to the 1940s it was intensively farmed. The park is dominated by very large playing fields, while planting to the southern boundary was undertaken when the Eastern Freeway was built. It is only along the banks of the Yarra that there is any remnant native vegetation. Willsmere Park is of significance as an area of open land that remains from the flood plain that once dominated northern Kew. (Source: Kew Conservation Study, 1988)Original colour small format polaroid photograph of flooding in the Willsmere Park, taken on 16 September 1993."Flooding of shared path from Willsmere Billabong 16.9.93"willsmere park, yarra river -- floods -- kew (vic.), kew billabong

Willsmere Park is bounded by the the Yarra River, Green Acres Golf Club, Willow Grove and the Eastern Freeway. The land on which the park is now situated was bought by Thomas Wills at the Crown Land Sales of 1846 (Section 56). From the 1840s to the 1940s it was intensively farmed. The park is dominated by very large playing fields, while planting to the southern boundary was undertaken when the Eastern Freeway was built. It is only along the banks of the Yarra that there is any remnant native vegetation. Willsmere Park is of significance as an area of open land that remains from the flood plain that once dominated northern Kew. (Source: Kew Conservation Study, 1988)Original colour small format polaroid photograph of Willsmere [Kew] Billabong on September 1993."Willsmere Billabong 16.9.93"yarra river -- floods -- kew (vic.), willsmere park