longreach

Fraser Island currently being evacuated.

Vim Fuego

I can't think for the sound of Kombi vans revving their engines and the chorus of 'duuuuuuuude!' ... must be a biggun a-coming ...

moneypenny20

Why were there still people camping there Wouldn't you have got the fluck out of there a day or two back One bloke on the radio was interviewed and said 'I've moved already into a more sheltered spot, I've still got a couple days of holiday left' - well stay there then but don't ask for help later

Pollyana

I work for the Department of Emergency Services, and we coordinate disaster plans and responses, hence have to keep on top of the weather situation, and this week I'm on calll so I have all the info at my fingertips. Making sure the weather warnings get to the public is part of the job

Pollyana

I saw a woman on TV yesterday who said she was planning to stay cos she was in a caravan and that would withstand the wind........having been on the Sussex Coast in the storm of 1987 I could tell her exactly what the wind does to caravans :eeK:

asprilla

Cheers Pollyanna... keep up the good work - and have a happy new year too!

Mark

biggy

she's just a nosey cow lol....her real job is a pea picker!!!!!!!!!!!

biggy

according to the reports it has now passed us...and lets hope others down the coast have escape it as we did....

Pollyana

Probably get paid more doing that

Yep, with a bit of luck you're just a bit too high to get the worst of it. The unpredictable bit is what will happen when it turns on Sunday and heads back north again.........and I guess if goes all the way north again it could even re-form as a new system in the Coral Sea for next week.
Could do some serious damage to beaches and dunes though, with the waves coming onshore.

Pollyana

I will have a seriously good new year, thanks (at least thats the plan). I've been on call and almost sober since Christmas Eve...I hand over to the next lucky soul on NYE morning

Actually its a fascinating job, and the more I learn about the complexities of Australian weather and the potential disaster scenarios the more interesting it gets.

Pollyana

Althought the worst winds/waves are expected to hit the Sunshine Coast, its already blowing a gale in parts of Brisbane, and we probably aren't at the worst yet.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...9-1248,00.html

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned us to expect some very strong winds over the next couple of days, so it's important that Brisbane residents batten down the hatches,'' Mr Newman (Brisbane's mayor) said in a statement.

"All sorts of toys, tools and garden furniture could become airborne and pose a real risk to people's safety, so a quick tidy-up in your backyard can make all the difference.''

Pets should be secured, vehicles covered and sensitive electrical devices switched off, he said.
Mr Newman also urged residents to avoid sheltering beneath or near large trees in the city's parklands, as many trees had become brittle and were in danger of losing limbs due to the ongoing drought.

Residents are also urged to monitor news reports and to ensure they have battery-operated radios in case of power cuts.

Nerine

Thanks Polly, we seemed to have escaped the worst of it this far south, people on the beaches in the heavy swell this morning - tide was all the way up to the base of the dunes.

moneypenny20

Beaches closed but still idiots out there. We were thinking of taking the boat out tomorrow - looks like the reno on the laundry continues