Deadly blast from the past
1926 ‘tornado’ trumps recent wild weather
THE Geelong region experienced a bit of wild weather last week, but it was nothing compared to a ferocious storm that tore through Highton 92 years ago, destroying buildings and killing a child.
The “Highton tornado” — as it later became known — struck on the evening of Thursday, July 22, 1926.
The front page of the following day’s Geelong Advertiser carried the headline: “Disastrous Storm Sweeps Highton and Belmont.”
The opening paragraphs of the story set the scene, going into great detail describing the lead-up to the destructive weather event.
“An ominous black bank rising from beyond Highton, and resembling dense smoke from a bush fire, horrified people living in the neighbourhood of Belmont yesterday evening. Then, with a roaring whistling noise the cyclone passed, leaving behind it a scene of desolation.”
While the storm only lasted a few minutes, it was reported “at least 20 families” were left homeless. Many buildings were destroyed, including the Recreation Hall, Temperance Hall, St John’s Church of England, and Methodist Church, all in Highton.
Tragically, one child, Norman Munyard, 6, of Francis St, Belmont, was killed.
A first-hand account from Mr R Coulson was also included, describing the moment the tragedy happened.
“I saw the storm approaching, and immediately sent my own children inside. Norman Munyard had been showing me a toy Noah’s Ark, in which there were two Easter Eggs. I said: ‘You had better run home, Norman.’ I went into a nearby shed, and was sheltered from the storm. Soon afterwards my brother-inlaw said: ‘Norman is missing’. I went to the flooring of the Munyard’s home. This flooring had been blown a distance of 50 yards from the house. I looked under it, and there saw the body of Norman. Three or four neighbours had arrived. We propped the floor and lifted the little body of the boy from underneath it.”
Elsewhere on the front page, the “miraculous escape” of Mr D Nelson and his two children was recounted to the Addy’s readers.
“About five o’clock I was milking a cow in the sheds,” said Mr Nelson, “when I noticed debris being swirled about in the yard. Soon after I had sheltered the children — two boys aged four and seven, respectively — the storm broke. The roof came down upon the top of us. It was a miracle we were not killed.”
But amid the devastation and chaos, there was some good news. It was reported the community banded together in the immediate aftermath to help those who had been worst affected by the storm.
“The truth of the saying ‘Kind hearts are more than coronets’ was made apparent in Belmont last night. Homes were thrown open to those who had been deprived of their own, and the offers of shelter were gratefully accepted. People whose residences had been damaged by the tornado forgot their own misfortune, and gave practical aid to their less fortunate neighbours. The right spirit of benevolence was certainly in the hearts of many.”