It will be 60 years ago on February 24 that the Hunter River swelled and cascaded into Hunter, William and King streets to a height of 15 feet (4.57 metres).

Mr Tarrant remembers having to swim to get to his Hunter Street home, which was completely flooded to the ceiling.

"It [the water] went right up the guttering at the front of the house," Mr Tarrant said.

"We had to swim across a gully at the back to get to the house.

"As the water receded I thought: 'Righto - that's the last time I live by the river'."

As the flood waters rose Mr Tarrant moved the family's belongings up into the roof, including the piano, which would eventually fall apart due to water damage.

Mr Tarrant's daughter, Jenny Benn, who owns a quilting business in King Street, was three years old at the time and remembers waking up during the night to find she was sleeping on her iron bed with no mattress and water swirling under her bed.

For about 125 years, King Street was the thriving business centre of the town, important mainly because it ran parallel with the Hunter River.

The 1955 flood sounded the death knell for King Street, seeing the central business district move up to William Street.

Raymond Terrace Historical Society research officer Elaine Hall remembers the torrential rain which led up to the flood.

Having a newborn baby boy, she remembered not being able to get his fabric nappies dry.

Recently Ms Hall and society president Ken Barlow pulled out the historical group's records on the flood, showing the Examiner photographs including water knee-deep in the Clare Castle Hotel.

A series of commemorative events on the flood will be held in Maitland, worst hit by the flood, until the end of February.

For a program of events go to lls.nsw.gov.au/hunter.

The Raymond Terrace Historical Society's records on the flood are available for public viewing.