natural

One year, two disasters The year was 1918. In the early hours of 21 January, a tropical cyclone crossed the coast just north of Mackay, bringing with it tidal surges of 2.7 meters in the center of town. The force was strong enough to uproot large Jacaranda trees and destroy 80% of Mackay’s buildings, numbering around 1200. More than 20 people were killed and widespread flooding ensued across Central Queensland, most notably in Rockhampton. A few days later, the Cairns Post described a scene of sheer desolation: The cyclone lasted over 14 hours and particularly wrecked the town. Scarcely a building escaped. The Anglican and Methodist Churches were completely demolished … The Presbyterian School Hall was razed. Only three hotels were left tenable … The Star Theatre, the Olympic Theatre, the Star Court, and Theatre Royal were literally turned inside out … The streets were littered with wreckage, galvanized iron being blown about like paper. (Cairns Post, 5 February 1918, p.2) Only seven weeks later, as Queensland was still reeling in the aftermath, another cyclone struck the coast, this time further north at Innisfail. The eye of the storm passed over the town in a terrifying hour between 9 pm and 10 pm on 10 March 1918, followed by wind gusts that blew in from the opposite direction to destroy any buildings left standing. Regarded by many to be the worst cyclone to hit a populated area in Queensland’s history of European settlement, 95% of dwellings were damaged or destroyed and close to 100 people perished across the wider region. The Brisbane Courier reported the impressions of Nationals’ candidate for Herbert, Mr. R.G. Johnson, as he walked towards Innisfail the following day: … [As] he journeyed along he saw many demolished homes, the occupants of which had to take refuge behind logs and in the open canefields. There were 1000 houses in the cyclone area, and in every instance the home was injured or destroyed … The tram route, which runs for 21 miles between Liverpool Creek and South Johnstone, was covered with the trunks of huge trees … (Brisbane Courier, 16 March 1918, p.6) Source: queenslanddecoproject.com/2015/02/25/art-deco-in-north-qu...

Roma's largest bottle tree, which has an incredible girth of 9.62 meters, a height of 15 meters, and a crown of 23 meters, was transplanted by Roma Town Council to its present location from a local property in 1927. The tree was fairly well-grown at the time of the transplant and quite possibly originated in the nineteenth century. No trip to Roma is complete without a selfie with the Big Bottle Tree! Source: www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/attractions/p-57731...

Roma's Largest Bottle Tree was mature when transplanted and is now over 100 years old. It takes around 6 men to reach the girth of Roma's Largest Bottle Tree. Although Roma's Largest Bottle Tree is fully mature the trunk still grows around 1cm per year, depending on the season. Some people believe the tree is hollow however the swelling is due to water held in its fibrous trunk and does not usually contain free water. Often Bottle Tress can live naturally for well over 200 years. An interesting fact is most trees described by Major Thomas Mitchell in 1864 at Mt Abundance can still be found today. Source: www.overlandermotel.com.au/romas-largest-bottle-tree.php?...

This cyclone was widely regarded as the worst to hit a populated area of Qld. The towns of Babinda, Innisfail, Cairns, Ingham & Cardwell were destroyed. The cyclone swept inland over the Bellenden-Ker Range & the Atherton Tableland. Contemporary reports list 37 dead at Innisfail, and 40-60 aborigines killed nearby. Innisfail (population 3,500) had only 12 houses left intact. At Bingil Bay a surge wave took the creek from the bridge 400 m upstream, and at the Bingil Bay Mission Beach area all structures were destroyed and debris reached a height of 7metres in the trees. It was reported that the cyclone continued for 4 days. Source: www.babindainfocentre.com.au/more-info/cyclones/1918-cycl...

In the early hours of Monday morning on January 21, 1918, a category 4 cyclone launched into Mackay carrying violent winds and a 3.6 meter storm surge. There were reports of 2 to 3-metre waves breaking in the main street of the town. Damage was widespread. Of the 1400 houses in Mackay at the time, 1300 were destroyed or significantly damaged. Thirty people lost their lives as a result of the cyclone, most of them in Mackay township. The massive cyclone that all but destroyed Innisfail a couple of months later is considered the worst cyclone ever to hit a populated area in Queensland. The category 5 storm crossed the coast on Sunday evening the 10th of March. Such was the devastation, that only 12 buildings are reported to have remained standing after the cyclone. In the nearby settlements of Mission Beach and Bingil Bay, every single structure was destroyed and massive storm surges and tidal waves were reported. The town of Babinda was also almost completely destroyed. At least 100 people were killed as a result of the cyclone, many of them Aboriginal residents at the Hull River Mission. Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/deadly-cyclone-season-1918