Bushland Beach struck by wild winds that blew over tree, destroyed trampoline

Wild winds like a “willy willy” have blown over a massive tree and wrapped a trampoline around a power pole north of Townsville. SEE THE DAMAGE PHOTOS >>

WILD winds like a “willy willy” have blown over a massive tree and wrapped a trampoline around a power pole north of Townsville.

The strong winds come as the region is inundated with intense rainfall from ex-Tropical Cyclone Imogen, which is tracking further towards the coast today.

Bushland Beach resident Tony Barr said he watched a massive gust of wind pick up a trampoline from a neighbour’s backyard when a “water spout” made landfall.

Robyn Edwards videoed the aftermath of a wild gust of wind that picked up a trampoline at Bushland Beach on Tuesday morning.

Crews were at Bushland Beach to remove a tree which has been blown over in the recent weather.

“Just a big gust of wind like a willy willy, picked up the trampoline, went out in the middle of the road and wrapped it around the power pole,” he told the Townsville Bulletin on Tuesday morning.

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A motorist videoed the aftermath of the wild weather, which showed a large tree which had been blown over onto the road.

Branches were also strewn over the road, fences down and bins upturned.

Another resident, Rhod Mayers, had his fence blown over and hadn’t seen anything like this kind of weather since Cyclone Yasi.

Rhod Mayers secures his damaged fence to trees after it was blown over in a wild weather event at Bushland Beach.

He had only just moved to the Bushland Beach area two weeks ago, but had neighbours come around and help him clean up the damage to his fence and clothesline.

“We had a massive gust of wind come through … heavy rains, rubbish flying around the air,” he said.

Broken branches were left scattered on a Bushland Beach driveway.

“I was in the garage at the time and I come back out the back and all the plants have been blown over.”

⛈️Tuesday Storm Forecast⛈️ Severe storms w. heavy rainfall & damaging winds likely in the northeast, possible for southeast inland today. Intense rainfall leading to life-threatening flash flooding is a risk in red area. Locally destructive winds possible between Ingham & Ayr. pic.twitter.com/K9URevzhSi

— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 5, 2021

Townsville Disaster Coordinator Acting Superintendent Glen Pointing said his crews were monitoring the weather situation, but had not been made aware of any water spouts or major flooding.

“Local disaster management groups are set up in those areas and monitoring the flood waters,” he said.

“We are keeping an eye on the low that is coming, and are just urging people to be careful and don’t drive through flood waters.”

Originally published as Bushland Beach struck by wild winds that blew over tree, destroyed trampoline