Agony lives on for some Territorians, five months after Cyclone Marcus made landfall

FIVE months on from Cyclone Marcus, the massive mahogany tree that fell and crushed Peter Jones’ caravan home like a tin can still remains

Darwin forklift operator Peter Jones was in Adelaide having a quadruple heart bypass operation when Cyclone Marcus hit and a huge mahogany tree fell on and completely crushed his caravan. Picture: Keri Megelus

FIVE months on from Cyclone Marcus, the massive mahogany tree that fell and crushed Peter Jones’ caravan home like a tin can still remains.

The 59-year-old Coolalinga Caravan Park resident said he was in Adelaide getting a quadruple bypass operation on his heart when the storm hit.

“That surgery probably saved my life, in more ways than one,” he said.

“Because if I wasn’t there, I would’ve been at home in Darwin and squashed along with everything else in that caravan.”

Mr Jones said he was shocked the caravan park “didn’t bother to even call him” and let him know his home had been destroyed.

“When I finally came back home and saw everything had been obliterated I wasn’t impressed,” he said.

“I had to find out from friends.

GALLERY: CYCLONE MARCUS’ CARNAGE

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“Everything that’s important and precious to me, my personal photos and everything, are in that caravan.”

Now that he’s been left without a home, Mr Jones has been living with his son for the time being.

“It’s been five months now and the caravan park still haven’t made any attempt to move that tree,” he said.

“Nothing’s insured but it’s still their obligation to move the tree because it’s their property.

“Wet season will come soon and all my photos will be completely buggered.

“ I don’t think they have any intention of ever moving it, looks like it’ll just stay there indefinitely. “

He said many of his neighbours had also packed up and left because trees hadn’t been removed.

“One of my mates was living in a donga at the park that was crushed by a tree, that’s still there too,” Mr Jones said.

“He got out just in time during the cyclone but his dog was killed and it’s still in there rotting away five months later because they won’t move the damn tree.”

The Coolalinga Caravan Park was contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline yesterday.