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SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - SEPTEMBER 2000 Several bushfires caused damage in southeast Queensland, the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Bushfires were fanned by high winds. Several Queensland locations reported highest September maximum temperatures on record. A tornado occurred in northeast Victoria, causing damage to the town of Milawa. New South Wales Because of the focus on provision of meteorological services for the Olympics and Paralympics, no summaries were received from New South Wales for this months report. NOTE: The data for New South Wales was added at the time of the October summary.
New South Wales On the 26th, Mudgee(Central Tablelands) reported hail 2.5 cm in diameter. Victoria On the 9th, a tornado occurred at Milawa (Northeast District). About 12 houses were damaged, a honey processing shed was destroyed, a roof was blown off a church and about 100 trees were downed. On the 29th, in the Western District at Lake Bolac, a thunderstorm which produced damaging wind was reported. South Australia On the 28th, thunderstorms and associated gusts caused tree and roof damage in the Adelaide area.
Queensland The westerly winds which followed the front through southeast Queensland on the morning of the 2nd, gave gusts to 83 km/h at Brisbane Airport. Major power cuts were reported from Brisbane's north, south and west. The worst hit areas were Rosewood and Gatton. The Gold Coast was also affected with reports of power cuts to 2,500 homes in Coomera, Cedar Creek, Tamborine and Nerang. Victoria On the 4th, severe gusts were recorded in the Alpine and Western Districts. Mt Buller AWS recorded 130 km/h and Mt Gellibrand AWS 109 km/h. On the 5th, severe gusts were recorded in the Alpine and Western Districts. Falls Creek AWS 117 km/h, Mt Buller 106 km/h, Cape Otway AWS 96 km/h, and Cape Nelson 95 km/h. On the 7th, a severe gust to 95 km/h was recorded at Mt Hotham. Gales occurred in the Wimmera district and tree damage was reported at Goroke. A combination of low temperatures, wind and rain killed some freshly shorn sheep. On the 10th, a severe gust to 104 km/h was reported at Leopold (near Geelong). On the 11th, severe gusts occurred in the Western, Central, Gippsland and Alpine districts.The following gusts were recorded by Automatic Weather Stations, Aireys Inlet and Lookout Hill 96 km/h; Dunns Hill 90 km/h; Cape Nelson and Mt Gellibrand 98 km/h; Portland and Falls Creek 95 km/h; Mt Hotham Airport 102 km/h; Mt Buller and East Sale 100 km/h. On the 30th, squalls and severe gusts were associated with a cold front, which moved through the southern parts of the state. The worst hit areas were the Mornington Peninsula, Colac and Geelong. The SES attended over 1,000 jobs and power was lost to over 21,000 homes (Press reports). A house under construction in Mornington was severely damaged. The highest recorded gusts by Automatic Weather Stations were at Mt Gellibrand 137 km/h; Cape Otway 102 km/h; Point Wilson 111 km/h; Frankston 106 km/h; Wilsons Promontory 126 km/h and Bairnsdale 104 km/h. Tasmania Strong winds on the 11th, caused damage to power lines leading to blackouts in many areas of the north and on King Island. Further strong winds on the 30th caused damage in many areas of the north and also cut power to many areas. Gusts exceeding 90 km/h were reported at Cape Grim on the 2nd to 6th, 11th, 17th, 19th, 26th, 27th, 29th & 30th; at Derwent Estuary TERS site (Tasmanian Earth Resources Satellite Station) on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 19th to 22nd, 29th & 30th; at Devonport Airport on the 11th & 30th; at Eddystone Point on the 11th, 17th & 19th; at Friendly Beaches on the 19th & 30th; at Flinders Island Airport on the 5th; at Hartz Mountains on the 11th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd & 29th; King Island Airport on the 3rd & 4th; Hobart on the 19th; Mt Wellington on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 10th to 22nd & 29th; Smithton Airport on the 29th; and at Strahan Aerodrome on the 3rd. South Australia On the 6th gale force winds where reported in Oodnadatta following the passage of a trough, with gusts to 117 km/h. A large tree was felled and a garage door was damaged. The passage of a rain band with high winds on the 7th, brought heavy rainfall with flash flooding followed by high winds in the Adelaide Hills, causing many trees to fall. A pine tree fell on a moving car, near Verdun, killing a woman and injuring a male passenger. Falling trees cut power in many Adelaide suburbs and in the Adelaide Hills as well as Loxton and Tanunda. Minor damage was also reported from Eudunda. The Country Fire Service reported 102 calls for assistance on Thursday 7th September. Again on the 11th, high winds in the Adelaide Hills with gusts to 133 km/h at Mt Lofty caused falling trees to cut power lines.
Queensland On the 2nd, fires were reported in and around Brisbane, as well as at Boonah, Kalbar, Yamanto, Paradise Heights, Minden, Roadvale, Laidley, Woodridge and Deception Bay (all in the southeast). On the 6th, bushfires raced across more than 4,000 hectares near St George, after a controlled burn escaped. Two large fires were fought on the Darling Downs, one being near Cunningham's Gap. On the 7th, grass fires were reported at Esk, Boonah, Aratula and Raceview, a major fire was reported near Charters Towers, in the state's north. On the 8th, several other fires were fought in the Greater Brisbane area. Fires were also reported at Ipswich, Boonah, Morayfield, Laidley, Rosewood, Coominya, Cunningham's Gap, northern Gold Coast, Warwick, Chinchilla, St George, Dalveen, Inglewood and Pittsworth. During the week ending September 8, more than 2,000 grass fires were reported throughout Queensland, most of them were in the southeast. On the 9th, more than 60 fires were reported around the Greater Brisbane area, the Lockyer Valley, the Sunshine Coast and at Bundaberg. On the 10th, fires continued to burn in southeast Queensland at Cunningham's Gap, Chermside, Alexandra Hills, Blackgully, and along the Sunshine Coast. Small fires were reported at Maryborough and Cambooya. On the 11th, a fire in the Brisbane suburb of Mount Gravatt was brought under control. Other fires were reported at Nerang and Oxenford on the Gold Coast. Further north, a fire was reported in inaccessible country near Gin Gin. 8 major fires were reported in the Bundaberg area over the previous 3 days. On the 12th, many fires were reported in the Greater Brisbane area and at the Gold Coast. A large fire was reported near Helidon, in the Lockyer Valley. Fires were also reported at Maryborough, Biggenden and southwest of Toowoomba. A fire burnt 200 hectares at Burrum National Park (near Hervey Bay) between the 19th and the 22nd. Tasmania A controlled burn of 200 hectares in the southwest wilderness area, spread outside of the control area and burnt 7,000 hectares before rain on the 28th extinguished it. There were unsubstantiated reports, of the burning of 24 bridges and a substantial section of the south coast track duckboarding from Melaleuca to Cox Bight. Northern Territory On the 2nd and 3rd, fires were deliberately lit in the Humpty Doo and Elizabeth River areas and roadside machinery caused a large fire at Tortilla Flats, near Adelaide River. On the 7th, a bushfire destroyed two large accommodation buildings at Curragundi Scout Camp, near Darwin River. The fire burnt through 300 hectares of scrub and agricultural land. On the 9th, a large fire affected the Mainoru area, northeast of Katherine. On the 11th, a bushfire came within metres of houses at Girraween Lagoon and Howard Springs, destroying a swimming pool. On the 12th, fires were contained at Twin Hills near Finnis River, Hayfield Station and Ban Ban Station near Hayes Creek. On the 13th, houses were threatened and several cars, two caravans and two demountable units were destroyed by a deliberately lit bushfire at Uralla Road near Katherine. During the second week of September, many fires over the Top End and Katherine region caused widespread smoke haze, reducing visibility at Darwin Airport to 2.5 kilometres on the 11th. At least five large fires during the last two weeks of September affected pastoral stations in the Barkly region, the Tanami desert and the northwest Alice Springs region. Fencing and extensive areas of pasture were lost in the fires, and widespread smoke haze spread as far south as Alice Springs. During the last week of September, Darwin firefighters were placed on alert to assist local volunteers, as a large fire threatened homes along the municipal boundary of Tennant Creek.
Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.
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