During the night of the 2nd February 2011, Category 5 Cyclone Yasi hit the North Queensland coast. With the predicted and worst hit areas between Innisvale and Mackay, Queensland braced through a system that packed up to 300km/h winds, relentless rain and large storm surges. “…it would be the strongest cyclone to hit Queensland since 1899…”
Once the system had moved through, people came out of their homes, shelters and bunkers to find mass destruction across the coast. Yasi brought with it rain and wind that destroyed anything in its path and relentlessly battered North Queensland. The tropical system was extremely wide spread, reaching from as far north as Innisvale and as low as Mackay.
The North Queensland coast is one of the most popular boating areas in Australian and the world. Internationally renowned for its warm water sailing and picturesque conditions, North Queensland attracts sailors from everywhere. Scattered along the coastline are multiple yacht and dinghy clubs. Luckily many of the clubs came out relatively unharmed after Yasi, with only minor damage. One of the lucky clubs was the Townsville Cruising Yacht Club, Sailing Captain Mike Steel commented on the aftermath of Yasi,
“We were fine due to the new designed marina. Structurally sound with high pillons, the marina allowed for the predicted 2m storm surge, and no boats were destroyed”,
Steel went onto say “ There was no major damage, minor flooding around the club, but most importantly no vessels were damaged”. With Yasi gone, things are back to normal at the club; the 20th of February sees the blessing of the fleet before the start of the sailing season.
However not every club was as fortunate as Townsville’s. In one of the worst hit areas Mission Beach, The small Mission Beach Sailing Club just held together, in what was said to have been the worst cyclone to hit the Queensland coast. Member and wife to the clubs commodore, Judy Heath spoke about the devastation to the local community and surrounding areas. “…all we know is that the shed itself has held together, no one has had time to get down, it’s just been chaos here”. The Heaths are still running off generators and have no power or clean water. With this weekend seeing the supposed start to the teams racing series, the Tully high school have already withdrawn their team, simple because there is no one to field.
“People can’t do anything or go anywhere, everyone is helping clean up, its doom and gloom here…” Mrs. Heath remarked.
Three weeks on from the natural disaster, and the people of Mission Beach and the surrounding areas are isolated and battling in the aftermath of Yasi. The category 5 storm completely devastated the tight nit community, leaving peoples homes destroyed and their belongings lost. Prime Minister Julia Gillard payed tribute to the victims of the Queensland disaster areas, she commented in parliament,
“A new chapter in natural disaster history has been written”.
Andrew Gough