Biggest stories of Wide Bay: Crimes, crashes, weather events
The alleged murder of Pheobe Bishop, the violent death of toddler Sophie Rose at the hands of her now dead mother and the drowning of a seven month old baby have left us all wondering what is going on.
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The alleged murder of Pheobe Bishop, the violent death of toddler Sophie Rose at the hands of her now dead mother and the drowning of a seven month old baby have left us all wondering what is going on.
Over the last 12 months the Wide Bay region has experienced heartbreaking tragedies, shocking crimes, and unforgettable headlines.
From high-profile court cases and violent deaths to missing persons and fatal crashes, these are the stories that left a lasting impact on communities across Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Gympie.
The stories and many court cases have devastated communities, exposing gaps in mental health support, road safety and the justice system.
Take a deep look at the most talked-about and gut-wrenching stories, many so intense they gripped the entire nation.
HEARTBREAKING DEATHS
Alleged murder of Pheobe Bishop - May
The disappearance of “sassy and feisty” teen, Pheobe Bishop, shook the Bundaberg region, and grabbed the attention of people from all over the country, with hundreds gathering at several vigils during the month of June.
The 17-year-old vanished on May 15 and a three-week search culminated in the discovery of her body, which was found in Good Night Scrub National Park on June 6.
Three people have been charged in relation to her death; her two housemates, Tanika Bromley and James Wood, were charged with murder, and Bundaberg man Kieren Daniel Mittelheuser has been charged with accessory after the fact.
Mysterious death of Jason George Reker - March
The death of former Gympie businessman, Jason George Reker, left the community perplexed when his body was found near his ute at Talegalla Weir on March 16.
Mr Reker is believed to have died from serious injuries to his lower body some time the night before.
His injuries were consistent with being hit by a vehicle, which was nowhere to be found.
Spent bullet casings and a double barrel shotgun were found near his body, which only deepened the mystery.
As of May, police are still investigating the death and no charges have been laid.
Shock drowning of seven-month-old baby - July
The Gympie community were left in shock when police revealed a seven-month-old baby boy tragically drowned in the waters of a lake near Chatsworth Park on the morning of July 12, 2025.
Just days after his death, the boy’s father, Jaye Lee Walton, 42, was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
The family were reportedly travelling through the area on their way back to their home in North Queensland, when they stopped at the popular free camping area the night before.
Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said it was the boy’s mother who retrieved him from the water at the busy campground popular with travellers, grey nomads and the homeless.
The boy was found in the small lake only 40m from where the family was camped, about 10.40am Saturday.
Mr Walton is due back in court on Thursday, July 17.
Violent murder of toddler, Sophia Rose - May
The Bundaberg community was rocked by the shocking and violent death of a three-year-old Moore Park girl, who was stabbed to death in her driveway.
Sophia Rose was murdered by her mother, Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, while her father was out of town for work.
Ms Flanigan was arrested and jailed over the death of her eldest child.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the 32-year-old died in custody just six days after the death of Sophia Rose, leaving behind a husband and two young children.
Illusions to domestic violence and struggles with severe mental health issues emerged over the following weeks, with Ms Flanigan ‘s family calling for timely, compassionate care, and education around mental illness.
Suicide of Levi Podetti - May
The sudden death of 21-year-old Levi Podetti prompted his devastated family to urge others who are struggling to speak up before it’s too late.
He died by suicide in May 2025, and two GoFundMe campaigns were launched to help his family meet the costs of his funeral.
Levi’s younger sister shared the text messages she received from her brother before his tragic death on social media, revealing their close bond and family struggles with mental health.
His mother urged others to speak up before it’s too late.
“(It’s) not weak to speak,” she said.
“If the first person doesn’t listen, keep talking and finding the person who can help, it’s important.”
Body found at Gympie RV park - November
Police say a person found dead at a popular park on the Old Bruce Highway outside of Gympie in November last year was believed to have died by suicide.
Officers were called to Chatsworth Park, a popular RV and camping stopover point about 3km north of the city during the earlier morning hours on November 18.
It is understood guests staying at the park found the body in a box truck that had pulled to the side of the site’s service road near its entrance to Vantage Rd.
The identify of the person has not been released to the public.
Tragic passing of Charlee Chubb - October
20-year-old Gympie girl, Charlee Chubb, had moved to the other side of the country and was mustering on the most remote cattle station in Australia at the time of her death.
It is understood she suffered a medical episode while mustering on a motorbike at Birrindudu Station, in the Northern Territory.
Her sister, Rachel Chubb, said her heartbroken family was at least comforted Charlee was “doing what she loved, in a place that she loved” at the time of her death.
“She was absolutely fearless … She never said ‘no’ to any challenge,” Rachel said.
Sudden death of Nicota Rolloque ‘Nico’ Fish - September
Avid Bundaberg cyclist, Nicota Fish, died three days after his 17th birthday, on the evening of September 5,2024, and left behind his devastated family, mum and dad Nerissa and Warren Fish, and little brother Rowel.
He attended Shalom Catholic College and was a member of Bundaberg Cycling Club, where he became a role model to the younger club members.
Kevin Crowley, his pastoral care teacher at Shalom College, remembered him for his lighthearted antics in class and said he had a “quirky way” of answering during roll call.
In a heartfelt letter read at his funeral, his mother said he made his parents complete and his father said he was the luckiest dad in the world.
CRASHES, ACCIDENTS
Death of motocross athlete, Joel Evans - April
Hundreds of mourners squeezed into the Kingaroy Town Hall to say goodbye to the “daredevil” on May 14, 2025, after his shocking and sudden death while competing at the 2025 ProMX Championship at Gilman in South Australia on Sunday, April 27.
Joel Evans, 30, was treated trackside by paramedics for serious injuries before being taken to hospital, where he died later that night.
In the days after his death, it was revealed the professional motocross athlete and popular content creator was about to become a father.
His fiance, Michaela Hurt, is due to give birth to the couple’s son in October.
Mr Evans shared his life as a motocross athlete with his 20,000 followers on Instagram and 17,000 subscribers on YouTube, posting workout and training content, race updates and coaching videos.
Alleged hit-and-run death of Colin Watson - September
A South Burnett father who died in an alleged hit-and-run accident last year shocked the community and his family, who said he was on his way to the shops to get milk for their morning coffee.
Colin Watson, 36, was walking along First Ave in Kingaroy around 5am on September 3, 2024, when he was allegedly struck by a black Mercedes Benz driven by Jade Hugh Cherry, 31.
Mr Watson died at the scene and left behind two teenage children.
His family remembered him as “no angel” but a “good bloke” with a “big heart” who would help anybody.
Mr Cherry was charged with multiple offences, including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, and is due back in Kingaroy District Court on July 21.
No pleas have been entered in relation to any of the charges and no trial dates have been set.
Andrew David Kelly dies in BMW crash - May
An expectant father who was trying to turn his life around died after a serious crash in Gympie that left his grey BMW crushed and flipped onto its side.
Andrew Kelly, 28, was the sole person in the car and died at the scene of the crash, which happened on Sorensen Rd near the intersection of Serenity Drive on the Southside, at about 1am Friday, May 16, 2025.
Mr Kelly, who had previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter death of a man in Caboolture in 2018, was expecting a daughter with his partner, Emma Oxley.
Ms Oxley said Mr Kelly had done everything he could to be there for her and his daughter, and she was lucky for every day she was able to have with him.
Sonja Pressler-McHugh dies after two-car crash - November
The death of a well-known Bundaberg businesswoman who was killed in the third deadly crash in the region in as many days left the community reeling and sparked calls for the road to be upgraded, a stronger police presence and improved driver safety.
The crash occurred around 8.20pm on November 1, 2024, when a 2021 Mazda CX-8 and a 1994 Nissan Pathfinder crashed on Fe Walker Street, west of Ashfield Road at Kalkie.
A passenger in the Mazda who was declared dead at the scene was revealed to be 57-year-old Bargara woman, identified in the following days as Sonja Pressler-McHugh, who was the owner and manager of McHugh Steel.
Triple fatal in two-car crash - May
A tight-knit, regional Queensland community was devastated by a shocking accident which claimed the lives of three local woman earlier this year.
Cydoni Hill, 18, Kendall Coppard, 25, and an unidentified 42-year-old woman died after a red Ford Laser and a grey Mitsubishi Lancer travelling in opposite directions on the Burnett Highway collided on May 26, with one vehicle “engulfed in flames” by the time emergency crews arrived.
All three woman were declared dead at the scene of the accident.
Speaking to reporters in Bundaberg in the days following the crash, Acting Superintendent Brad Inskip revealed it may have been caused by one car veering into oncoming traffic.
Hundreds of people reacted to news on social media, with many sharing messages of grief for the significant loss of three lives in a small community.
Ryan Hickling killed in shock motorcycle crash - October
Ryan Hickling, a 20-year-old Thabeban man, died in a shocking three vehicle crash between a Toyota HiLux and two motorcycles at the intersection of Cedars and Childers Roads at Elliott on the evening of Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
Another man in his 20s reportedly suffered arm and leg injuries and was taken to Bundaberg Base Hospital while a third man, in his 40s, suffered chest injuries and was also taken to hospital.
Mr Hickling, who attended Shalom Catholic College, was remembered for his love the gym and motorbikes, and described as “loveable, caring, hardworking, funny, a ratbag, handsome, sweet, friendly, charismatic, and mischievous”.
Death of motorcyclist Andy Langtree - November
Ronald Joseph Madden, 69, of New South Wales, was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and leaving the scene without obtaining help.
Initial reports revealed Mr Madden was travelling north on the Bruce Highway, near Booyal Dallarnil Road, on November 17, 2024, when his Ford Ranger struck a motorbike.
The motorcyclist, 68-year-old Moranbah man, Malcolm Anderson Langtree, was declared dead at the scene.
Police alleged Mr Madden failed to slow down and made contact with the back wheel of Mr Langtree’s motorbike when he slowed down approaching a section of roadworks, causing him to be thrown into oncoming traffic heading south.
It is believed the two men knew each other.
Car on fire, road blocked for hours on Fraser Coast - October
A Urangan man was charged over the three-vehicle crash at Susan River in October last year, which left a caravan destroyed, one car on fire and blocked the road for hours.
Tony Michael-Lee Smith, 43, was charged with multiple offences, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Photos of the scene revealed the extent of the carnage; a Isuzu ute wedged under a caravan, which was tipped over at dangerous angle, a torched sedan and debris strewn across the two lane road.
Maryborough Hervey Bay Road was closed for hours while the accident was investigated and emergency services cleared the scene.
Only one person was injured and hospitalised from the crash.
The case is next due before Hervey Bay magistrates court on September 4 for a mention.
Tragic death of siblings Norma Diana Dutton and Clive William Millers - May
Two elderly siblings from the Gympie region were killed after one of their carers, Valdora man Stuart Daryl Gray, allegedly deliberately crashed the car he was driving.
Norma Dutton, 85, and her brother, Clive Millers, 83, died after the Suzuki Kizashi driven by Mr Gray crashed into a tree at Brooloo on May 26, 2025.
The two were passengers in the car.
Mr Gray, who was injured and hospitalised for several days after the crash, was charged with two counts of manslaughter.
Mr Gray is due back in Gympie magistrates court for a mention on August 11.
COURT, CRIME STORIES
Teen driver sentenced after triple fatal - April
The sentencing of a 13-year-old boy convicted of killing three Fraser Coast women in a horrific crash left those closest to the victims feeling let down and questioning the justice system.
The accident claimed the lives of Michale Chandler, 29, Kelsie Davies, 17, and Sheree Robertson, 52, in a triple fatal caused by the young boy driving a stolen Mercedes Benz on April 30, 2023.
The teenager was known to the police as being part of a car stealing ring and had been caught speeding more than 200kmh down the same road where the deadly accident happened just weeks before the crash.
Community members were outraged by the incident, with protests erupting outside the courthouse at the boy’s hearings.
In November last year, the teenager was sentenced to six years in detention, however the judge ordered that only 60 per cent of the sentence must be served in custody, which means he will likely be released before Christmas, 2026.
Terrifying schoolgirl stalker, Riley John Worth - December
A Hervey Bay man who police alleged kept folders featuring the personal details of schoolgirls he labelled “projects” was described as an “unusual and truly disturbing” case by a Queensland judge.
A court heard Riley John Worth, 21, was charged with 10 counts of stalking and one count of possessing child exploitation material.
The young man reportedly had files containing the names and addresses of at least five girls aged between 14 and 16, which included plots on how to lure them and details about their personal life.
In one instance, he allegedly wrote of a teen, “I don’t know how I can get her, either breaking and sneaking in late or early morning, message or trap.”
Mr Worth was released on strict bail conditions, which included living away from Hervey Bay with his grandmother, prohibited from accessing electronic devices and he must be supervised if he leaves his house between 7pm and 6am.
The case is next due before Hervey Bay magistrates court on August 8 for a committal mention.
Brock Andrew McDonald released after attempted abduction - May
The release of a man who ambushed a young woman in a “random” and “terrifying abduction” in Bundaberg, leaving her with lasting fear and “post traumatic scars” angered the Wide Bay community and attracted the attention of the Attorney-General.
Brock Andrew McDonald, 44, pleaded guilty to deprivation of liberty and assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to the assault in October, 2023.
The court heard McDonald targeted the 18-year-old as she was walking home in the early hours of the morning.
He parked his car in an area with no street lights and attacked the victim by wrapping a rope around her neck and forcing her into the back of his white Toyota Corolla.
She was able to grab her phone and escape, calling for help while hiding in a bush.
McDonald was sentenced to Two-and-a-half years on parole, with 413 days of pre-sentence custody considered time served, and was immediately released in December last year.
Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington appealed the sentence, and claimed it was manifestly inadequate, submitting the court should impose a sentence of no less than three years’ jail.
The appeal was ultimately rejected, however the family of the victim felt supported by Ms Frecklington’s apparent willingness “to fight for the community’s ongoing safety”.
Delays in Joe Prendergast’s sexual abuse case - April
More than two years after being charged with 16 sexual abuse offences, including rape, a well-known Wide Bay businessman’s case is no closer to having a trial date set.
Joe Prendergast, 36, was charged with 11 counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one attempted indecent assault of a child under 16 in June, 2023.
A closed court committal hearing into the matter began in March of this year and will determine whether the case will be taken to District Court.
Mr Prendergast is the managing director of Dusty Joe’s Pty Ltd, which operates the Dusty Hill Vineyard in Moffatdale and the Goomeri Bakery, and was the owner and operator of Joe’s Grand Hotel which changed hands in April this year.
His case has garnered significant media attention and public scrutiny in the 750+ days since he was charged.
The magistrate has previously voiced his dissatisfaction at the repeated delays in the case, on one occasion saying, “nobody seems very keen to get it done”.
No pleas have been entered in relation to any of the charges.
Mr Prendergast is due back in Murgon court on August 8, as the committal process continues.
Tyson Alexander Ellul appeals rape conviction - June
A rugby league player who raped a woman near a South Burnett service station in 2020 has appealed his conviction, with his lawyers saying a key witness at trial may have in fact been responsible for the assault.
Tyson Alexander Ellul, 22, was found guilty of rape after a four-day trial in Kingaroy and sentenced to five years in prison, to be suspended after two years and three months.
The court heard Ellul, who was 18-years-old at the time of the assault, met the victim at the Kingaroy Hotel one night, and raped her on a car bonnet in a “secluded area”.
She was reportedly significantly intoxicated, and couldn’t remember what happened to her when she woke up injured in hospital the next morning.
Medical and DNA evidence submitted at trial supported the rape allegation.
His defence team appeared before the Brisbane Supreme Court in June to appeal the conviction, and argued that the credibility of a key witness had not been properly scrutinised during the trial and suggested that even if Ellul was the one who committed the act, it may have been consensual.
A date for the decision has not been set.
Woman facing dozens of charges, including rape and torture - May
A woman facing more than 30 charges for a string of sexual and violent offences including torture and rape will undergo a psychiatric evaluation ahead of her return to court.
The defendant was charged with 33 offences, includes five counts of torture, one count of rape, five counts of indecent treatment of a child, seventeen counts of common assault, two counts of deprivation of liberty, two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count of procuring a sexual act by threat or intimidation.
The woman was arrested in January, and has been remanded in custody.
She is due back in court on August 28.
Anthony Regetas dousing partner in petrol - May
A terrified Poona woman was forced to scream to her neighbours for help after her partner poured petrol in her bedroom and then on her as she crawled from her house.
Anthony Regetas, 63, pleaded guilty to one count of threatening violence, one count of attempted arson and two counts of common assault when he appeared before Maryborough District Court in February this year.
The court heard the relationship between Regetas and the victim, who he met on a cruise 12 years ago, had soured in recent times with allegations of cheating and attempted evictions.
He reportedly went into the 60-year-old woman’s bedroom on the morning of Mary 19, 2024, and poured petrol from a canister in to the room, splashing it on her pyjamas, and telling her he was going to burn the house down.
They fought and she crawled out of the house, screaming for help.
Neighbours reportedly witnessed part of the attack, with one physically stopping him from going back into the home while carrying a box of matches.
Regetas had served 324 days in presentence custody and was given a head sentence of four years in prison, with a parole eligibility date set for July 18, 2025.
Childcare centre to go to trial after toddler’s death - April
KB Child Care and Early Learning Pty Ltd, trading as Little Gems Child Care and Early Learning Centre in Maryborough, are due to go to trial later this year after pleading not guilty to two charges of failing to adequately supervise children.
The Fraser Coast day care centre was charged in relation to the sudden death of two-year-old Kaleb Wade, who was found unresponsive at the centre on Saltwater Creek Rd on July 20, 2022, after going down for a nap.
Court documents revealed the toddler was allegedly left unsupervised for around 15 minutes, after which he was found face down on the bed wearing his hat and hooded jumper.
According to court documents, the centre followed the Red Nose policy for safe sleeping, which included keeping the child’s head and face uncovered.
The trial, which is expected to take three days with evidence from up to eight witnesses heard, is scheduled to begin in December of this year.
“Record-breaking” cocaine bust - November
David John Pfeffer, 35 from Isis and Dundowran man Mark Frederick Sutton, 57, were two of the 11 men and two juveniles arrested and charged with conspiracy to import cocaine after an explosive cocaine bust on the Fraser Coast in December, 2024.
The investigation, codenamed Operation Tyrrendor, began in November last year, following intelligence that a criminal syndicate with links to the Comanchero motorcycle crime gang was planning to import border-controlled drugs into Australia.
Police said it was the largest seizure of cocaine in Australia, with an estimated street value of about $760 million dollars.
Hervey Bay residents were left “gobsmacked”, with one man telling the Fraser Coast Chronicle “it’s a shame because this place used to be a sleepy little fishing village.”
Mr Pfeffer is also facing a dangerous boating charge, which he has pleaded not guilty to.
It is understood neither man has enter any pleas to the drug charges, which are still before the court.
Man on 30+ sexual abuse offences - March
A 70-year-old man who heinously raped two young boys more than once, one dozens of times, was jailed for more than a decade over his “predatory” behaviour.
Kenneth Hugh Douglas’s shocking series of crimes against the youths was revealed during a two-hours-long sentencing at Gympie District Court where the victims and their family members were present in March of this year.
Douglas pleaded guilty to 31 counts of rape, three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, and making and possessing child exploitation material.
He was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and the judge declared him a serious violent offender which required the him to serve 80 per cent of his sentence before being eligible for release on parole.
Shooting case against Gavin Raymond Pates delayed - June
More than a year after the fatal shooting of a young Nanango father, the man accused of pulling the trigger still has no trial date scheduled.
Gavin Raymond Pates, 39, was charged with one count each of manslaughter and insecure storage of weapons in relation to the shooting death of 21-year-old Blayde Barber on March 21, 2024.
Police alleged Mr Barber and another man drove onto Mr Pates’ property on Kingaroy Barkers Creek Road around 11.30pm the night he was shot.
Mr Pates allegedly came out of his home armed with a gun and shot at the car as it drove past him, hitting Mr Barber.
The court previously heard Mr Pates had been having trouble with people coming onto his rural Booie property and kept a loaded gun underneath his bed.
The matter was recently adjourned until the end of the year while the primary witness faces court on “extremely relevant” charges.
No pleas have been entered to any of the charges.
The case is due back in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on November 21, 2025.
JAW-DROPPING STORIES, MISSING PEOPLE
Jack McLennan reported missing - October
The mysterious disappearance of a 27-year-old man in the South Burnett who reportedly walked off into the night and was never seen or heard from again has captivated the region.
Murgon personal trainer, Jack McLennan, was last seen leaving Ficks Crossing near Murgon by a colleague he spent most of the day with around 10pm on October 4, 2024.
During a phone conversation just before 9pm that night, Jack’s mother, Kellie Moody, said he told her he was tired and going to spend the night at a friend’s place.
He was reported missing the following day.
Some of this personal belongings, including his shoes, hat and wallet, were found in the weeks after his disappearance during extensive police searches.
His family have devoted themselves to finding answers, and have spent the last eight months running their own investigations, including raising money to fund search operations.
The case has been referred to the coroners court for further investigation.
Victorian teen Krystal Cain’s remains found - October
Fourteen-year-old Krystal Cain went missing in raging flood waters at Booubyjan in the Gympie region on the night of January 8, 2022.
She was on a road trip with her dad, Lenny Cain, to celebrate her grandfather’s birthday at Agnes Water, near Gladstone.
A torrential downpour from ex-tropical cyclone Seth had dumped more than 650mm of water in areas across the Wide Bay, turning creeks into swollen, raging rivers and destroying everything in its path.
Their Camry died in the middle of a bridge after striking a pothole, and within minutes water was pouring in through the windows.
The pair were able to get out of the car and held onto a tree branch for five hours, but they were thrown back into the water when the branch broke and Krystal was swept away.
Almost three years after the accident, on October 20, 2024, her remains were found on a remote property downstream from where she disappeared.
Lenny Cain told the Gympie Times he was relieved to finally have some answers.
Death of snake bite victim, Tristian Frahm - November
The story of a young boy who tragically died after suffering a snake bite in the South Burnett in 2021 was brought back into the spotlight over the last 12 months as his case was heard in multiple Queensland courts.
Tristian James Frahm, an 11-year-old boy who was living with his father at the time of his death, died after a brown snake bit him while he was attending a family friend’s birthday celebration on a rural property near Murgon on November 20, 2021.
His father, Kerrod James Frahm, 33, was charged with manslaughter and police alleged he did not take his son’s illness seriously.
However, in August last year the Department of Justice confirmed it would not be taking the case to trial and the charges were dropped.
A two day coroner’s inquest into Tristian’s death was held in Toowoomba earlier this year, which heard the boy complained of having a sore stomach and repeatedly vomited following the snake bite, which occurred after he fell off a ride-on mower.
However, witnesses told the court multiple adults checked Tristian’s body and couldn’t see anything that obviously looked like a snake bite and they thought his symptoms were from sneaking alcohol.
The coroner’s findings have not yet been released.
Wide Bay’s wild weather rollercoaster - January
Between a summer soaked in floodwaters and ex-Tropical cyclone Alfred barrelling through, the Wide Bay has been battered by a string of wild weather events that tested even the most seasoned locals.
The summer storm season delivered a relentless barrage of extreme weather to the South Burnett, testing the resilience of the community with intense lightning strikes, widespread power outages, and flooding that was unlike anything locals had seen before.
Ergon reported more than 280,000 lightning strikes within a 100km radius of Nanango, and more than 300,000 within a 100km radius of Gayndah during one 24 hour period in January.
Thousands of properties were impacted by power outages, with businesses closed for weeks after “unprecedented” storms and “above-average” rainfall.
A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said the main influences on the weather this storm season were unusually warm ocean temperatures and a series of low-pressure troughs.
This series of extreme weather events marked just the beginning, as Cyclone Alfred and a sudden rain bomb would soon bring even more hardship to the region.
In the days leading up to the expected landfall of ex-Tropical cyclone Alfred, communities across the region were battening down the hatches; filling sandbags, taping their windows, securing outdoor furniture, and trying to buy enough food to last until the supermarkets reopened.
While the South Burnett avoided the worst of the cyclone, disrupted deliveries left supermarket shelves empty and residents scrambling to ration essential supplies.
While ex-Tropical cyclone Alfred weakened significantly by the time it reached the coast in March, a sudden rain bomb smashed through Hervey Bay causing significant damage and heartbroken homeowners.
Many residents were left without power for days and trying desperately to salvage any possessions they could from their flood ravaged homes and businesses.
The city was hit with an official total of 261mm in a freak storm, although many with their own gauges said between 400mm and 500mm was recorded in some areas.
This article was written with the assistance of AI.
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