CQ escapes worst of cyclone Ului

Water splashes as a driver passes under the Fitzroy River Bridge.

Photo: Allan Reinikka

Photos

Cyclone Ului - in pictures

View Photo Gallery »

Related Articles

• Cyclone-hit tourists raid bins for food
• Cyclone's gales lash Mackay
• Whitsundays hit by 200kmh gusts
• Ului threat passes leaving flood fears
• Mackay still powerless after Ului
• Ului could cost cane farmers $60m
• Boaties count cost of destruction
• Ului prompts disaster alert
• Whitsunday flights cancelled
• Ului costs fishing millions
• Teen dies at ironman titles

Earlier articles

• Heron Island evacuates 150 tourists
• Qld braces for Cyclone Ului
• Surfers hope for 'swell of the century'
• Cyclone Ului puzzles expert

Further information

Local weather forecast

Bureau of Meteorology warnings

DESPITE power outages, strong winds and heavy falls, Central Queensland was lucky to escape the worst of cyclone Ului, Mayor Brad Carter said today.

Shortly after returning from visiting residents at Stanage Bay this afternoon, the Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Cr Carter said we were prepared for the worst.

"I was very impressed with the way the state disaster control centre, the bureau, all emergency services and the disaster management groups handled cyclone preparations," Cr Carter said.

Regardless of packing winds of 200km/h when Ului crossed the coast near Airlie Beach early this morning, Rockhampton Regional Council SES controller Eddie Cowie said the Rockhampton district escaped relatively unscathed.

"We only had one tree down at Yeppoon and everyone in the region was very prepared for the worst," Eddie said.

Rockhampton received wind gusts of up to 54km/h just before 6am today, while Yeppoon’s strongest winds reached speeds of 63km/h about 3.30pm on Saturday.

See full cyclone coverage in tomorrow's Morning Bulletin.