BOM warns remnants of cyclone will hit Gympie, Fraser Coast, Bundaberg

The Bureau of Meteorology says Gympie, the Fraser Coast and Bundaberg will feel the remains of ex-tropical Cyclone Seth this week as it moves towards the coastline.

Wide Bay residents can expect to see high tides, storms and rain as the remnants of Cyclone Seth bears down on the coastline.

It comes as the barge to Fraser Island from Inskip Point remains closed.

The Bureau of Meteorology says that while the ex-cyclone is rapidly weakening, residents can still expect heavy rain and thunderstorms over the next two days.

“By the time he reaches the coastline, it will basically be the remnants of it with the showers increasing by lunchtime today especially around Gympie, Hervey Bay and Maryborough” a spokesperson said.

“There’s a high chance of thunderstorms as the cyclone moves closer.

“Bundaberg can expect a shower or two.”

Wide Bay is set to feel the peak of the impact of Seth on Friday as he creeps closer to the mainland with a high chance of showers in the morning and afternoon, bringing a risk of a thunderstorm with heavy rainfall for much of the region.

20mm-70mm is expected for Gympie, while Fraser Island will protect Bundaberg and the Fraser Coast from most of the deluge with both regions predicted to get between 15mm-60mm.

Swells and high tides are still being experienced up and down the Wide Bay Coastline, with the Manta Ray Barge at Inskip Point forced to cancel its operations today.

“The barge today will NOT be operating between 10am - 1:30pm, due to too much water covering Inskip Point at high tide and is unsafe to reach the barge to board,” their Facebook post read.

In Hervey Bay, the Louda family from Brisbane took a moment to stop on the Esplanade and look out over at Fraser Island, which has copped the harshest conditions so far.

They said they were loving it in Hervey Bay and enjoying the cooler, wet weather which hadn‘t stopped them from getting out and about.

Showers are expected to last until Saturday.