All bridges between Albury and Wodonga were washed away and locals had to travel by train between the two towns, the only link for several weeks.

The suspension bridge was a temporary fix to allow pedestrian traffic to travel between Wodonga and Albury.

From a report on October 9, 1917: For the last three or four months the low-lying land between the border towns of Albury and Wodonga has been almost continuously under water, 150 points (about 53 millimetres) were registered here on Thursday and Friday and heavier falls were recorded higher up the river, causing all rivers to rise simultaneously. Residents of Bonegilla, Bethanga, Talgarno and the Murray Valley were cut off from railway facilities. Some of the oldest residents claim this to be the highest flood since 1870. Men have been engaged constantly keeping logs and other floating debris from accumulating against the railway bridges.

MORE HISTORY

In 1974 two floods were recorded in January and October and the fourth highest on record.

The Murray River reached 5.46 metres, 1.19 metres over flood level. Hundreds of transports waited in Albury and Wodonga for permission to drive on to the Lincoln Causeway which was closed. All other traffic was diverted across the Hume Weir wall. Special trains ran between Wodonga and Albury for two days to ferry people to and from work.

In 1975 came the third highest flood on record. People were ferried by train between Wodonga and Albury and boats were a common sight travelling both ways. Bob Wiltshire said the floods didn't come from the Hume weir but from the Kiewa River which bypasses it, where "inches of rain" had fallen in a relatively short time. He recalled being one of about 200 volunteers who worked thigh deep in water filling sandbags to protect a hide and skin business, Weatherall's Masonry and the Milos building, all on the flood plain. Jim Parker remembers sandbagging the Butter Factory.

The highest flood recorded was in October 1870 when the water reached Dean Street.