Kathy crossed the Peninsula Coast near the mouth of the Pascoe River with only slight tree damage. Kathy crossed the coast near Borroloola and Centre Island on the morning of the 23rd. The cyclone was very small with a radius of maximum wind speed of 15 km and the eye radius 10 km. Gales extended out to 65km.

The anemometer at Centre Island was blown away however before this it recorded a 10 minute average wind speed of 100 knots with gusts to 125 knots. The eye passed over Centre Island and a pressure of 940 hPa was recorded there. A nearby trawler recorded a verified 938 hPa. 20 prawn trawlers were sheltered in the Pellew Islands and one sunk, 3 ran aground and most of the others were scattered over a large area with some damage. One crewman from the sunken trawler drowned.

The cyclone made landfall during a spring high tide and a 3 metre storm surge was estimated from debris lines on the eastern side of Vanderlin Island. Sea turtles were stranded up to 7km inland near the McArthur River mouth. The cyclone caused devastation to woodland vegetation in the Pellew Group and inland for 250 km. Several holiday camps in the islands were destroyed or badly damaged. At Borroloola, 45km inland, several buildings were wrecked and many others damaged.

Rockhampton Regional Council in partnership with the Queensland a…