Thredbo

A Tragedy Waiting to Happen – and Other Australian Disasters

by A. K. Macdougall, Leonard Ryzman, Desmond Zwar and others

The Five Mile Press, 2002, [First Edition], ISBN 1865037966, black and white photographic plates, paperback

Very Good Condition, minor edge and shelf wear, a little rubbing and bumping to edges and corners, no inscriptions (see photographs)

“’We were undressing for bed when the mountain rushed past our window.  It was like someone was emptying a giant vacuum cleaner bag.  The noise was deafening – like a jetfighter taking off…’  These are the words of an eyewitness describing the terrible night a massive Thredbo ski lodge slipped from its foundations and crushed the lodge below, killing 18 people.  The tragedy, caused by gradual movements in sodden soil, had been years in the making.
Deadly cyclones, earthquakes, floods and even plague epidemics have ravaged Australia throughout her short recorded history.  These catastrophes continually remind us what a fragile edifice our civilization is.   This compelling book chronicles the experiences of ordinary Australians who stared horror in the face and survived – and also tells the stories of those less lucky.  A team of top Australian journalists rips away the official veil to reveal the facts behind such devastating disasters as:
The horrific Hunter River Floods, where crackling powerlines lashed the water amidst victims swimming for their lives.
The Black Death plague that panicked Sydney
The searing Ash Wednesday bushfires that swept Victoria and South Australia – killing 75 and causing millions of dollars damage.
Cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin on Christmas Day 1974.
The nightmare of Melbourne’s Westgate Bridge collapse.
A common thread of courage links all these calamities: Australians helping Australians, often at eh risk and sacrifice of their own lives.  These vivid accounts of heroism and suffering make stirring reading – bringing our nations history vividly to life.”