A tropical cyclone (TC) brought damaging winds and seas to region between Rockhampton and Hervey Bay. Houses unroofed in several centres with many trees blown down. Ketch driven onto rocks near Rockhampton. Severe erosion along shores of Hervey Bay with 10 metres lost to sea along a 32 km stretch of the coast.

Twenty acres of forrest were also lost to the sea. From Below these Mountains By Lyall Ford published by Taipan Press Freshwater Qld. At noon on Friday 13th February 1863 two emigrant ships , the Everton and Wanata, were struck by a cyclonic gale while anchored off the northern end of Moreton Bay and both had to run out to sea. The winds eased by noon the next day and they were able to return to the Bay.

On the 16th February the schooner Bounaparte arrived in Moreton bay badly damaged. It had encountered the cyclone 60miles north of Breaksea Spit and lost both masts and sustained much damage to its bulwarks. A major flood then occurred in the Brisbane River with one ship coming adrift from its moorings and others had to be removed from wharves. Some stores in the town were flooded several feet deep.

Rockhampton Regional Council in partnership with the Queensland a…