Ellis Beach wrecked by extreme flooding and landslides, up to 50 people trapped

Landslides and flooding that tore a popular Far North tourist beach and holiday park to pieces have also isolated up to 50 people behind the rubble. SEE ALL THE VIDEOS

Ellis Beach, a popular tourist haunt nestled between Palm Cove and Port Douglas, has been savaged by extreme flooding and thunderous landslides, isolating locals and visitors.

After Tropical Cyclone Jasper battered the Far North last week, more than 2000mm of rain was then dumped across the region over the weekend, quickly swelling rivers, inundating homes and destroying roads.

Cassie Gerity, who has lived at Ellis Beach Holiday Park since March, thought she heard part of the mountains of the Macalister Range collapsing onto her home on Sunday night.

She and about 50 others sheltering through the storm woke to find a disaster zone the next morning.

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Large rocks had crashed against cabins, hills of debris has spewed across the Captain Cook Hwy and the beach had eroded to within a few metres of some cabins.

“It was louder than thunder,” Ms Gerity said.

“It happened so quick, it was like a movie.

“It all started on Sunday morning. Something just gave way. Trees and rocks … I’m standing on landslides.

“Next to the holiday park we used to have a carpark. Now that’s just rubble.”

Ellis Beach relies on the Captain Cook Hwy for connection to Cairns in the south and Port Douglas in the north.

Ms Gerity said both ways had been blocked by rubble, which locals had begun clearing with their own machinery.

“All we could hear was rocks falling. We were kept awake all night. We’ve got the massive mountain behind us. Any sound would stop us going to sleep,” she said.

“We’re stuck inside. We got a few people out today. No-one is injured, that we know of.

“Between the holiday park and the Surf club there are probably about 50 people here.”

Video footage supplied by Ms Gerity showed a section of the holiday park’s road collapsed into a sinkhole.

“The beach is eroding in front of the cabins,” she said.

Acting assistant commissioner for the Far North Region Sonia Smith said police and other emergency services were doing everything they could to access people isolated by the destructive weather.

“Our crews are currently doing everything in their power to get to the people who are stranded, including using aerial assets,” she said.

“Overnight four SES vessels, two civilian vessels, two QFES vessels with navy support attended rescues at Machans Beach and Holloways Beach, bringing 200 people to safety.

“SES conducted six rescues in Caravonica last night.

“We have additional emergency crews … on planes flying from Brisbane to Townsville. They will be deployed to communities in the Far North as soon as it is safe to do so.

“We have eleven evacuation centres open.

“At least 307 people were in those evacuation centres this morning.

“Major roads remain closed across Cairns and the Far North due to life threatening flooding.”

Originally published as Ellis Beach wrecked by extreme flooding and landslides, up to 50 people trapped