On the 10 March 1918, Innisfail was hit by a cyclone. Damage was
also widespread in Cairns, Babinda, and on the Atherton Tableland.
Coastal areas were swept by a phenomenal storm surge at Mission
Beach measuring 3.6 m and swept hundreds of metres inland. In
Innisfail then a town of 3500 residents, only around 12 houses
remained intact, the rest being blown flat or unroofed.
Thirty-seven people died in Innisfail, while an additional 40-60
died in surrounding areas. This cyclone is widely regarded as the
worst cyclone to hit a populated area of Queensland. It crossed the
coast and passed directly over Innisfail. Pen on Post Office
barograph was prevented from registering below 948 hPa by flange on
bottom of drum. 926 hPa read at the Mourilyan Sugar mill at 7 pm 10
Mar. The eye wall reached Innisfail at 9 pm. A report from the
Harbours and Marine Engineer indicated that at Maria Creek the sea
rose to a height of about 3m above high water (If this refers to
HAT the water was 4.65m above the tide for that day). Around 4.40pm
10 Mar at Bingil Bay a tidal wave was seen surging in from the east
into Bingil Bay taking the bridge over the creek 400 m inland.
Mission Beach was covered by 3.6 m water for hundreds of metres
inland, the debris reached a height of 7m in the trees. All
buildings and structures were destroyed by the storm surge in the
Bingil Bay Mission beach area. The surge was 2.6m at Flying Fish
Point. Babinda also had many buildings destroyed and some reports
suggest that not one building was left standing. There was
widespread damage at Cairns and on the Atherton Tablelands.
In Babinda, houses were flattened everywhere with only 3 houses
left standing in a complete condition at Babinda. To gauge the
strength of the wind a whole train was blown on its side as well as
assorted wagons in the sidings. There was 1 death in Babinda and a
visitor from Mackay said that the damage at Babinda was worse than
in the Mackay cyclone.
The tram route which runs 21 miles from Liverpool Creek to St
Johnstone was covered by huge trees , no scrubs were left standing
and houses were devastated. Most buildings at South Johnstone
were wrecked. The police in South Johnstone advised of
terrible destruction in the area and that there were 5 fatalities
in the district.
A report from the Harbours and Marine Engineer indicated that at
Maria Creek the sea rose to a height of about 3m above high water.
Around 5pm 10 Mar at Bingil Bay a 'tidal wave' was seen surging
into Bingil Bay from the direction of Dunk Island taking the bridge
over the creek 400 m inland. Mission Beach was covered by 3.6 m
water for hundreds of metres inland, the debris reached a height of
7m in the trees. All buildings and structures were destroyed
by the storm surge in the Bingil Bay Mission beach area. Further
north the surge was 2.6m at Flying Fish Point. The Superintendent
of the Hull River Mission Station and his daughter were killed, and
Mrs Kenny seriously injured. The Hull River Mission was located
where South Mission Beach stands today and many of the
indigenous inhabitants were killed by the surge. Those that
didn't perish or could be rounded up after the cyclone were
transported to Palm Island mission. There was much loss of life
associated with the storm surge. There was also a drowning in the
Herbert River on Monday 11 March.
The largest tree on the Esplanade Cairns came down at 8.30pm
Sunday Night (10th). In Cairns most of the houses on the
outskirts of Cairns were unroofed. The Newmarket Hotel was stripped
of its roof. Houses were badly damaged in Lake Street. The high
tides reached the pavement opposite the Strand Hotel. A man was
lost to the sea off Cairns.
Reports indicated that the cyclone passed to the south of
Malanda. In Malanda the cyclone struck the Tableland on Sunday
evening, doing immense damage. Sunday morning broke threatening
with a strong easterly wind, which gradually worked around to the
south southwest and finally to west, increasing in violence with
each shift, and all the time being accompanied by extremely heavy
rain, nearly six inches being registered at Malanda. The cyclone
reached its maximum force at ten pm on Sunday, when the wind was
blowing with terrific and destructive force. Vivid lightning added
to a terribly trying time. Monday morning revealed the severe
damage. Crops, fruit trees and most outbuildings levelled to the
ground, many old or lightly built houses collapsed altogether,
nearly all windmills, cow sheds and stables were unroofed, while
even substantially built buildings were canted or partly stripped
of roofing. Immense piles of trees, which were broken off or
uprooted,were overlaying the roads. Many cattle were killed but no
loss of life was reported. Reports from Atherton indicated that
there was great damage there. Two women were killed by falling
trees at Tolga.
Nearly every place suffered to the extent of the loss of a sheet
of iron or two, but otherwise there was no damage. The sea was very
high and washed up to the post office yard, a thing never known
before. The rainfall from 9pm on Sunday night to 9am on Monday
moring was 1300 points. Six men lost in the Lugger Shamrock lost 10
miles NE of Hinchinbrook Channel. At Lucinda on Sunday huge waves
were breaking over the jetty and damage was done to the
foreshores.
