Cyclone Jasper: FNQ residents in waiting game as tropical storm nears
Far North Queensland is braced for a monster storm surge as Tropical Cyclone Jasper strengthens off the coast, with impacts already being felt.
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Tropical Cyclone Jasper is making itself known in Far North Queensland where ferocious winds have kicked up, bending palm trees and downing branches.
The storm is gaining strength, with 93km/h winds smashing the Cairns and Port Douglas region, with 17,000 homes without power as the storm approaches.
Dropping back to a category 1 overnight, Laura Boekel from the Bureau of Meteorology said it had begun getting stronger and at 2pm, reached category 2.
It is expected to make landfall this evening, the first cyclone of that strength in the area for almost a quarter of a century.
At the Port Douglas Sugar Wharf, waves are crashing over the foreshore, with one local saying the area had already started to erode.
Port Douglas is now being lashed by heavy rain as the weather system approaches the coastline.
There is no sand still visible on Four Mile Beach where a high tide combined with the wind has pushed the foaming ocean up the foreshore.
Locals who had left the house to see the wild weather are now also beginning to retreat inside to avoid the flying debris.
The main street is a ghost town with the one coffee shop that opened now serving last drinks.
The exposed Trinity Bay lookout is being hammered with strong winds, sending mangoes and branches flying from trees.
Andy Ulwand is no stranger to cyclones, having lived in Far North Queensland for 20 years.
His eldest daughter was born in the Cairns Base Hospital during Tropical Cyclone Larry.
Mr Ulwand was one of the few locals enjoying the final moments outdoors, heading out to see the unusual sight of waves at Four Mile Beach with rough seas and high winds ahead of Cyclone Jasper’s arrival.
“It’s been stressful getting everything packed away,” he said.
“I was up helping relocate boats the other day up the estuary. It’s just a waiting game now, everything is inside, the windows are taped up, but it’s going to be a long day.”
Mr Ulwand said whatever Jasper delivered, the community would come together to recover.
“You’ve got to check on your neighbours and friends, everyone looks out for each other,” he said.
“We’ve been here 20 years and this (cyclone) is our third good one.”
Deb Poole lives just down the street from Four Mile Beach and said it was unusual to see the ocean so rough.
She was one of the many locals taking Cyclone Jasper in her stride, saying she and her family were prepared to wait out the slow moving weather system.
One yachtsman checking on his boat moored in the protection of a creek said it was a “small mercy” that Cyclone Jasper would was now expected to arrive later in the day, saying if it had arrived at high tide along with the storm surge, the damage would be much worse.
“That’s just part and parcel of life in North Queensland though,” he said.
Other boat owners Ethan Nielsen, Caitlyn Cornish and Bruce Tebbit were on the water to make final preparations to secure their boats in the protection of the estuary.
They said they were feeling relaxed about the coming weather.
Jan Macgregor moved to Port Douglas from Melbourne just one month ago.
“We’re used to the weather changing in Melbourne but nothing like this,” she said.
“We’re in an apartment so we’ll be fine as long as we have Netflix and then once the Wi-Fi goes down, which I’m sure will happen at some point, my kindle is fully charged.”
Ms Macgregor said it was unusual to see waves near the Port Douglas Sugar Wharf where the beach had already started to erode.
“It’s a little bit scary,” she said.
“I really hope there’s not too much damage. You can’t be complacent about it.
“Most of our friends up here seem pretty relaxed.”
The indigenous community of Wujal Wujal to the north of Port Douglas is directly in the firing line of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
But Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Bradley Creek is also waiting for another imminent arrival, with his second child due to be born any day.
Mr Creek said it had been a busy week preparing for both Cyclone Jasper and for his wife to give birth.
He said the wind and rain had started to increase in the area, which is home to more than 400 people, around noon on Wednesday.
“I think people are probably starting to feel a bit wary now,” Mr Creek said.
“But the community is well prepared and ready to see what Cyclone Jasper brings.
“Everything is starting to pick up.”
Mr Creek said the community began preparing for the cyclone more than a week ago.
“A few vulnerable people have been evacuated to Cooktown,” he said.
The tourist hub of Trinity Beach was far from postcard perfection this morning, but that didn’t stop locals and tourists alike from heading down to the esplanade to witness the king tide and Cyclone Jasper’s influence on it.
Thousands of residents in Cairns were ordered to evacuate from red storm surge zones yesterday, but a slow-moving Jasper meant the worst case scenario – a storm surge combined with the king tide – did not eventuate, on the Northern Beaches at least.
But that didn’t take away from the sheer power of Mother Nature, with huge swells washing up onto footpaths along Trinity Beach, and strong winds sandblasting those looking on around 9.30am, still hours before expected landfall around Wujal Wujal later this afternoon and into tonight.
Takeaway coffees in hand – in true blue North Queensland style the baristas were at work despite the looming storm – locals and tourists made the most of the few hours before their retreat indoors, taking photos and videos of the ocean as it churned in waves, an uncommon site in the tropics.
Local family Ben and Kristel, with their two kids Banks, 4, and Frankie, 2, popped down to the beach for a look, recalling when they lived along the Esplanade in Cairns City, a red zone.
“It hasn’t been like this for years,” Kristel said.
“We just wanted to see it.”
The family are prepared for when Jasper crosses the coast further north later today, with Cairns seemingly out of the main danger zone but still expecting gale force winds and flooding rains.
“We have toys, puzzles, food, chocolate ready to go,” Kristel said.
At Yorkeys Knob, a few locals could not resist the chance to catch a few waves on boogie boards, while boaties did last minute checks on their moorings.
As of 11.30am, damage was minimal, mostly downed palm fronds and small branches.
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