Just as parts of Queensland begin to recover from the devastation of one cyclone, another is hovering ominously off the coast.
A tropical low developing slowly in the Coral Sea is now expected to become a cyclone later today. The system will most likely cross tomorrow night as a category two cyclone, with wind gusts of up to 150km/h, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
It is expected to make landfall between Cardwell and Bowen although, in the longer term, the ABC reports the system is likely to track further inland as a tropical low bringing heavy to intense rain to parts of central and western Queensland.
Intense rainfall from the system is no longer expected to impact south-east Queensland.
Elder Roy Gibson has vivid memories of Daintree flooding. PIC: Brian Cassey / TTNQ
Meanwhile, the iconic Great Barrier Reef Drive has just opened again following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Jasper last month. It offers travellers a coastal route to Port Douglas and Daintree, in addition the daily ferry service from Cairns and the scenic inland route via Mareeba and Mount Molloy.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said the reopening was a significant milestone in the recovery for tourism operators north of Palm Cove, and would help to increase the number of visitors in the region.
“Many tourism staff travel north for work, so the opening of the Great Barrier Reef Drive on the Captain Cook Highway also reconnects businesses in Port Douglas with their staff,” he said. “Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre has re-opened giving visitors access to the southern section of Daintree National Park to see one of the world’s oldest rainforests on a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk with a Kuku Yalanji guide.”
The entire Daintree region copped a serious hammering in the floods brought by Cyclone Jasper. From December 13 to December 19, Daintree Village received 1921mm of rain and Daintree River peaked at 15m on December 18.
The devastation hit many very hard, with some accommodation operators – like the Daintree Ecolodge now not expecting to reopen until March 1.
Manager Richmond Sear told the Cairns Post at the time that the damage was indescribable.
“It’s insane, the damage that’s been done, the jetty is gone and all the trees, there was one really big tree and that is three kilometres away in a paddock,” he said. “Everyone talks about a one in 100-year flood, but this is way, way over what we expected … we made thorough preparations and we had a few trees down with Cyclone Jasper but we never predicted the water height.”
Now though, tour buses are once again bringing visitors into Daintree Village, much to the relief of Che and Trent Mulley who took over the lase at the Daintree Village Hotel on the day Cyclone Jasper hit.
“We managed to open immediately after the severe flooding to give the locals somewhere to go and then the self-drive tourists started to trickle through,” Che said.
Kuku Yalanji Elder Uncle Roy Gibson, 67, whose dream led to the creation of the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre said the recent flooding had covered the Mosman River’s rocky bed in sand reminding him of his childhood days growing up in the Gorge.
“When I was about seven years old, every time we had a big rain and flood, the river always had sand in it,” he said. “As the years go by the floods change the gorge all the time and take away a lot of sand … it really came back with this big flood now, like it did 60 years ago.”
But Mr Gibson said it was still a frightening experience.
“I heard a lot of rocks moving at night like thunder which makes your heart beat more and it feels like the flood is right next to your bed because I sleep beside the gorge,” he said. “I could hear rumbling, boom, bang. I heard that a long time ago and I think, wow, I’ll never forget this … it’s unbelievable, the rocks have been moved.”
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