Western Australia, February/March 1956

Many tropical cyclones this century have caused more damage than the one that formed off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia on 16 February 1956, but few have spread their damage over a longer period or followed such an extraordinary path.

"The circuitous route of the cyclone of February /March 1956. This cyclone affected the Australian mainland for 17 days, traversing virtually the whole Western australian coastline".

The cyclone passed close to Yampi Sound and Cape Leveque before making its first significant impact on 18 February at Broome, where it blew off roofs, damaged vessels and destroyed banana plantations. From there it swung inland and degenerated into a tropical depression, flooding wide areas of the Kimberley and causing heavy stock losses. Fitzroy Crossing was isolated by floodwaters that reached record levels. By the 23rd the ex-tropical cyclone was centred near Tennant Creek, pouring down massive rains.

Having moved many hundreds of kilometres inland, the system then turned and swung back to the west, moving off the Kimberley coast early on the 27th, and aggravating the floods on its way. Over the warm tropical waters, it quickly regained its status as a tropical cyclone and inflicted wind and flood damage on its return to Yampi Sound and Cape Leveque. Skirting around Broome, it then tracked southward, remaining just offshore, and eventually traversing the entire length of Western Australia.

On its journey south, the storm left a trail of flooding and wind damage - Port Hedland, Roebourne, Karratha and Onslow were all battered. High winds raised dust-storms over adjacent inland pastoral stations - which were then isolated by floodwaters! Continuing south, the cyclone destroyed buildings at North West Cape, ravaged banana plantations at Carnarvon, sank vessels and destroyed huts and jetties on the Abrolhos Islands, and badly damaged the Geraldton waterfront and several ships moored there. On 4 March the system - by now an ex-tropical cyclone once again - passed directly over Perth, causing damage to buildings in and around the Western Australian capital. It crossed the south coast on the 5th, but not before unroofing houses and shops in several wheatbelt towns, including Mullewa, Dalwallinu, Northam and York. It also converted some 25mm of valuable topsoil into a heavy dust-storm. There was at least some compensation: widespread gratitude was expressed for the heavy rains that accompanied the storm over pastoral areas and in the southwest.

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