Bluff news from the 1950s – Part 10 – final in the series
Compiled by Duncan du Bois
Massive petrol leak at Island View
IN 2001, more than a million litres of fuel were found to have leaked into the ground from a pipeline off Tara Road near the Happy Valley Nature Reserve.
But that was not the first time such a rupture occurred.
In January 1957 thousands of gallons (a gallon equals 4,5 litres) of petrol gushed out of a pipeline leading to a large tank when a seal broke at the Standard Vacuum Oil Company’s storage at Island View.
Although technicians managed to seal off the ruptured pipe after 90 minutes, what the report in the Daily News of 7 January 1957 shows is the calm and efficient response of everyone to what could have been a major disaster. And, bear in mind, there was no ‘disaster management plan’ in those days. And, of course no cell phones.
While repair work was going on, City Police ensured all roads in the vicinity were blocked off. Rail traffic was halted. Fire-fighting tugs were placed on alert. Fire engines converged on the scene. Runners were sent out into the neighbouring residential area to warn people of the situation. Two tanker ships, the Arabian Queen and the Hoegh Ranger, were hurriedly moved from their berths near the tank farm and relocated at a safer anchorage in the bay.
The drama nearly went into overdrive when not 75 yards from the gushing petrol a group of Corporation workers were seen huddled around a fire. It was quickly extinguished. Meanwhile, petrol rapidly filled the moat around the tank and the fumes became stifling. Technicians wearing rubber boots and masks struggled to get a large suction pump into position.
But once the pump was in operation, the ruptured valve was sealed off and the flow of petrol stopped. Safety teams were placed at drains leading into the bay in case petrol had seeped under the safety walls. The spilled petrol which was collected was to be re-processed at the refinery. A subsequent report disclosed that the volume of petrol which had spilled out was 5,000 gallons.
Landslide in Netford Road
In May 1957, two elderly property owners in Netford Road were served notices by the city engineer to vacate their homes with immediate effect following a landslide directly below their homes.
Press reports did not indicate the cause of the landslide, but a photograph showed that the properties were perched above what had become a precipice of some 60 metres into the bush below. Given the dune nature of the Bluff slopes, it was feared that any movement or rainfall could result in the foundations of the houses collapsing.
The dilemma of the property owners was that their insurances did not cover landslides and that without the sale of their properties, they had no means of relocating. What became of the situation is not disclosed in the file source on which this series is based.
Whaling station
A report in the Daily News of 22 July 1957 reminds us of the terrible toll on the ocean’s gentle giants – the whales. A spokesman for the whaling station disclosed that the factory handled 20 whales a day and that in the previous three months since the whaling season had begun, 1,014 whales had been brought in.
Apparently the record for a season was 1,350 whales. At the time there were 10 whale-catching vessels. The factory had a capacity to handle up to 30 whale carcasses a day.
For years the smell which emanated from the whaling station was the subject of complaint from Bluff residents. Fortunately – particularly for the whales – that came to an end when the whaling factory closed down at the end of 1975. It is commendable that as a society we have advanced from killing whales to watching them frolic in the ocean.
In case you missed it – read the full series here:
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 1
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 2
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 3
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 4
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 5
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 6
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 7
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 8
Bluff News from the 1950s – PART 9
DID YOU KNOW?
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