Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BLOWIN' IN THE WIND
Queensland is The Sunshine State, known for its sultry climate and year 'round holiday weather; an old slogan
went as far as claiming it was 'Beautiful one day, perfect the next'. But up in the far north, a dark cloud looms -
literally - on the horizon between November and April each year. Cyclones - known elsewhere as hurricanes or
typhoons - are a part of life in the tropics, with an average of four or five forming each season. While it's rare for
these cyclones to escalate into full-blown destructive storms, big ones do come a'crashing: in February 2011,
Cyclone Yasi smashed into the coast around Mission Beach with winds estimated at up to 300km/h, ripping
through the towns of Tully and Cardwell and islands including Dunk, Bedarra and Hinchinbrook. Hundreds of
homes along the coast between Innisfail and Ingham were severely damaged, banana plantations and cane fields
flattened and areas of national park rainforest pummelled. Amazingly, there were no deaths or serious injuries.
Here are a few cyclonic facts to blow your hair back:
» Tropical cyclones are rated by their intensity in categories. A Category 1 storm blows gales of less than 125km/
h, a Category 2 has destructive winds of 125km/h to 164km/h, cyclones from Category 3 (165km/h to 224km/h)
to Category 5 (over 280km/h) are unsurprisingly billed as 'severe'.
» During the season, keep a sharp ear out for cyclone predictions and alerts. If a cyclone watch or warning is is-
sued, stay tuned to local radio and monitor the Bureau of Meteorology website ( www.bom.gov.au ) for updates
and advice. Locals tend to be complacent about cyclones, but will still buy out the bottle shop when a threat is
imminent!
» Cyclone names are given in alphabetical order, alternating between male and female, from a seasonal list of
104 names compiled by the Bureau of Meteorology Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre. Names must not offend or
be controversial, but it was a different story in the old days, when storms were frequently named after irksome
politicians, mythological creatures and mothers-in-law.
» Yasi was a shocker, but the worst cyclone to hit the far northern coast was Category 5 Cyclone Mahina, which
hit Bathurst Bay on Cape York in March 1899. More than 400 people were killed, including 100 Indigenous Aus-
tralians and hundreds of workers on pearler fleet vessels. Mahina still holds the record for the world's greatest-
ever storm surge (between 13m and 14.6m); on a nearby island, dolphins were found atop 15m-high cliffs!
Tours
GUIDED TOUR
Kookaburra Tours
( 0448 794 798; www.kookaburratours.com.au ) Highly recommended day trips in Townsville and
further afield, with enthusiastic, informed commentary. Options include 'Heritage and
Highlights' city tours (adult/child $40/18), Wallaman Falls (adult/child $125/55), rain-
forest tours (adult/child $125/ 55) and Aboriginal cultural tours (adult/child $140/65).
Townsville Ghost Tours
( 0404 453 354; www.townsvilleghosttours.com.au ) Five spooky options, from city haunts aboard
the 'ghost bus' (from $65) to an overnight trip to Ravenswood ($250 including meals and
accommodation).
GUIDED TOUR
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