Bathurst Bay Cyclone a little history.
Shane Williams
Hi Everyone, very quiet lately on the list. Maybe due to no weather around I guess. Looks like rain for Townsville and Mackay from Wednesday next week.
I did some research and come across this about Cyclone Mahina in 1899. A very unfortunate event. With no early warning system, they wouldn’t have known what was coming for them.
Mahina hit on March 4, 1899. Mahina was a Category 5 cyclone.
Within an hour, the pearling fleet (at anchor) was either driven onto the shore or onto the Great Barrier Reef. Only 4 sailors survived and over 307 were killed. Just before the eye of the cyclone passed overland to the north a tidal wave (caused by storm surge), variously reported as either 13 metres or 48 feet (14.6 meters) high, swept inland for about 5 kilometers, destroying anything that was left of the Bathurst Bay pearling fleet along with the settlement.
Eyewitness Constable J. M. Kenny reported that a 48 ft (14.6 m) storm surge swept over their camp at Barrow Point atop a 40 ft (12 m) high ridge and reached 3 miles (5 km) inland, the largest storm surge ever recorded.
Over 100 Indigenous Australians died, including some who were caught by the back surge and swept into the sea while trying to help shipwrecked men. Thousands of fish and some sharks and dolphins were found 15 m above sea level up to several kilometers inland and rocks were embedded in trees. On Flinders Island dolphins were found 15.2 meters up on the cliffs.
A memorial stone to 'The Pearlers' who were lost to the hurricane was erected on Cape Melville. The disaster is also commemorated in the Anglican church on Thursday Island.
Shane Williams
Townsville, North Queensland.
Townsville Skycam now online at:
http://www.shane-williams.net/webcam.htm
