While it seems Cyclone Ilsa has not been as devastating as feared at one stage, it has still caused significant damage – and given quite a few travellers a real fright – after making landfall on WA’s northwest coast.
The weather system was downgraded to category 4 from category 5 soon after reaching the coast near Pardoo Roadhouse. The roadhouse itself was devastated and suffered millions of dollars’ worth of damage, but it is understood all staff are safe and well.
The Bureau of Meteorology says Ilsa set a new Australian, 10-minute-sustained wind speed record of 218km/h at Bedout Island just off the coast. Extreme wind gusts of up to 274 km/h were also reported.
The satellite images had people worried PIC: BoM
The approach of Ilsa caused massive disruption, with evacuations put in place and a 560-kilometre stretch of the Great Northern Highway connecting Broome and Port Hedland closed. At the start of the week, travellers in the area had been warned to head south immediately, with authorities telling anyone in a caravan that they must change their travel plans.
As Ilsa bore down, guests at places like Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park were told they needed to pack up their caravans and get out. Anyone still in the danger zone when Ilsa landed was urged to secure all loose objects including outdoor furniture, trailers, boats and caravans.
BoM meteorologist Jessica Lingard told the media that the winds would be strong enough to pick up a caravan and move it around.
While most grey nomads try to avoid terrifying weather events like Ilsa, Australia is an unpredictable place to travel. In April, 2021, Cylone Seroja battered the WA coast, ripping apart Carnarvon’s historic One Mile Jetty, and causing massive damage in Kalbarri. And those travellers who are caught out in a cyclone tend to find it changes their perspective.
Grey nomads, Sandy and Wally Jackson, were in a 16’ caravan in Darwin when Cyclone Tracy hit on Christmas Day, 1974. They spent a terrifying night in their tied-down van listening to the howling wind, heavy rain, and the sound of debris flying around.
They were shocked by the scale of devastation caused and, although their tow vehicle and van suffered significant damage, they considered themselves among the lucky ones.
After reading about Cyclone Seroja, the pair – who by then were travelling in a motorhome – said they were glad they lived by one golden rule.
“We will continue to avoid cyclone-prone places during cyclone season,” said Sandy. “But then, who would have thought that such a destructive cyclone would have come as far south as Kalbarri and caused so many people such heartache?”
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