Kevin ‘Flood’ Hulbert says he can’t lie about his age, not that he wants to.
“Everyone knows how old I am this February,” he said.
“It’s the 60th anniversary of the 1955 flood.”
The ‘55 flood was a special occasion for Kevin. He was born in the change room at the old Narrabri Town Hall at the height of the flood.
“A bit later, when I was playing rugby league, Frank Fish called me ‘Flood’ and the nickname has stuck,” he said.
Now everyone knows him as ‘Flood Hulbert.’
“My mother Alice and father Percy Hulbert lived in Kate Street,” said Kevin.
“As the flood started to rise very fast they had to evacuate.”
The couple somehow negotiated the floodwaters on foot and crossed the Creek Bridge to get over to the Town Hall.
Viv Yandell, although very young himself at the time, recalls picking up the late Dr Ted Buckley from a RAAF helicopter at the Public School and bringing him across the flooded Barwan Street to the Town Hall.
“Ted was wearing a RAAF lifejacket” recalled Viv. “He handed it to me to look after and I did.
“Later the RAAF wanted it back - but I kept a mirror out of it.”
Dr Buckley went on to deliver baby Kevin at the Town Hall.
And Kevin, family and friends will celebrate his 60th on Saturday.