Minimal damage despite Lizard Island being battered by 160km/hr winds from Cyclone Ita

SO OFTEN a tropical haven for cashed-up honeymooners and celebrities, Lizard Island is now a disaster zone.

SO OFTEN a tropical haven for cashed-up honeymooners and celebrities seeking seclusion, Lizard Island’s resort remains a disaster zone after becoming the first local casualty of Cyclone Ita.

The exclusive Great Barrier Reef hideaway, which has hosted the likes of Tiger Woods, Charlize Theron and Orlando Bloom, was battered by winds of almost 160km/h when Ita’s path of destruction came within 5km of the island on Friday.

In pictures: Cyclone Ita

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Cairns charter boat operator Daniel McCarthy surveys the damage to Lizard Island.

The Courier-Mail’s exclusive pictures reveal the extent of the carnage, which includes shredded trees, a building “wiped out” and a 60ft catamaran washed up on a debris-strewn beach.

“It’s going to take a lot of hands on deck, chainsaws and a lot of cleaning up’’, Cairns charter boat operator Daniel McCarthy said, “but it could have been a hell of a lot worse.”

Damage on Lizard Island caused by Cyclone Ita.

The luxury resort has been ranked in the world’s top 10 hotels and is popular among European newlyweds, who pay up to $3600 a night.

Despite sheet metal being peeled from roofs, doors torn off, internal fans destroyed and windows smashed, Mr McCarthy was surprised there wasn’t more damage done to buildings on the island.

“There’s obviously substantial tree damage, as you can imagine,” he said. “One small building (a maintenance building) was wiped out.”

Damage on Lizard Island caused by Cyclone Ita.

Bureau forecaster Robin Nataniela said Ita crossed 15km west of the island.

More than 30 guests and 63 staff were evacuated from the island.

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