Wild storm uproots trees, batters Southern Downs businesses

PHOTOS: ‘Biggest winds locals have seen’ hit, as community left with enormous storm clean-up bill.

WILD WEATHER: Trees tore through picnic tables and uprooted trees after a freak storm on Friday afternoon. CREDIT: Margaret Bremmer

YELARBON residents have been left with a hefty clean-up bill after wild weather tore down trees and battered shopfronts over the weekend.

While Warwick may have fallen short of expected Friday storms, the weather didn’t miss neighbouring Yelarbon, where Oasis Hotel manager Mark Hyde said winds of about 100km/h battered the town from 4.30pm.

“It was very fast. Dark clouds came around and all of the sudden there were spits of rain and you could hear the wind coming,” he said.

“Everyone went indoors pretty quickly because it was that heavy, it was blowing debris and tree branches around.

“It was the biggest wind locals would have seen.”

Winds tore through shopfront awnings after a freak storm on Friday afternoon. CREDIT: Margaret Bremmer

According to Mr Hyde, the storm sent a tree crashing through the Yelarbon parking bay area picnic tables and ripped off the awning of the convenience store.

The damage was confined to a small section of the CBD and was over within four minutes.

“It was this fine little window through the town, and the outskirts either side didn’t get anything,” Mr Hyde said.

“We only got up 6mm of rain out of it, and we could have got double that if it was landing in the gauge instead of blowing sideways.”

While the community spent the weekend clearing about 80 per cent of the debris, Goondiwindi Regional Council is still working on clearing the rest.

It comes as the Southern Downs faces the possibility of more freak weather highs this week.

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