Tropical Cyclone Rusty Aftermath

It has been a busy few weeks on the Plains with the passing of Tropical Cyclone Rusty.  There was plenty of activity in the lead up to the cyclone with all the preparations for its arrival.  In the aftermath of the cyclone there was plenty of cleaning up to do. 

Cyclones are a unique animal for many producers in Northern Australia.  The rainfall they bring is nearly always welcomed and in some cases is desperately needed.  However, they are often feared for the destruction they can wreak. 

 

After following his progress for over a week, Tropical Cyclone Rusty left us with no real damage and plenty of rain.  In the five days before Rusty arrived and after he left we had around 275mm of rain which is approximately 65% of our annual average rainfall.  There were plenty of branches off trees around the homestead but apart from that no damage that we have found yet. 

It was a different story only a few hundred kilometres away from us where the cyclone crossed the coast.  Here the cyclone left a trail of destruction around the homestead and around the rest of the property. 

Reminders of Tropical Cyclone Rusty will be with us for a while yet.  As you can see in this photo the water that landed on the property will take a long time to subside. 

Never a dull moment

Just when you think things are quietening down, I received an email from a meteorologist about a forthcoming cyclone.  Such is the information available to meteorologists now he was able to tell me that a cyclone was likely to affect us in about one weeks’ time.  This prediction was as a result of looking at a Tropical Low that was sitting more than one thousand kilometres from us. 

It is now a few days later so preparations are now on in earnest.  Being on the most cyclone prone coast in Australia preparations for cyclones are well rehearsed.  These involve the following activities: 

-          Tying down the windmills around the property

-          Tying down the sheds

-          Putting all the vehicles undercover

-          Cleaning up around the homestead so that there is no debris lying around.

With these activities underway we sweat on every update from the Bureau of Meteorology.  Updates are currently coming at six hourly intervals – these will increase to three hourly intervals as the cyclone intensifies and comes closer to the coast. 

Cyclones are a mixed blessing in Northern Australia being welcome for the rain they bring but being feared for the destruction they deliver.  The best we can hope for is rain and not too much wind.  With this cyclone expected to be severe (ie. category 3, 4 or 5), that looks to be a forlorn hope.

Impending Cyclone

The impending cyclone – that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when something significant and unknown is about to happen.  It is a bit like the feeling you get before going to a job interview or going to the dentist. 

That ominous white blob on the satellite photographs that slowly crawls in your general direction.  It is a time when you give thanks to the modern marvels of technology such as the internet so you can follow every centimetre of the cyclone’s progress. 

Of course a good way of dealing with this concern is to keep as busy as possible so you don’t have time to think about things too much.  That is generally fairly easy as there are always plenty of jobs to do: 

-          Tying down the windmills around the property

-          Tying down the sheds

-          Putting all the vehicles undercover

-          Cleaning up around the homestead so that there is no debris lying around.

Our animals are always our primary consideration on the station.  The cattle generally do a good job of looking after themselves.  They get in amongst the trees to shelter from the wind where possible. 

As the cyclone approaches we all start to sweat on each update from the weather bureau – has the cyclone changed direction?  Will we get more wind or less?  How much rain will we get? 

The weather bureau issued a warning about storm surges along the coast.  Our homestead is situated about 7 kilometres from the ocean.  Prior to the commencement of the strong winds, we could hear the ocean from the homestead – the constant roar sounded much like an aircraft in the distance. 

Tropical Cyclone Lua passed near us without causing too many problems.  It was certainly very windy with the house I was sheltering feeling like it was shaking in the wind.  The photos of the palm trees give a good idea that it was very windy. 

The biggest problem turned out to be all the debris which accumulated around the homestead. 

Cyclones are part of the fabric of life in the north of Western Australia.  Between Broome and Exmouth is the most cyclone prone coastline in Australia. 

It doesn’t make it any less frightening when it happens but at least we know we can prepare well when the next one happens.