Cyclone Narelle Dissipates But Tourism Industry Faces Devastating Aftermath
The monster cyclone that tore through Western Australia has now dissipated, but the worst may still be ahead for tourism operators who are confronting extensive damage just days before the crucial peak season begins. Easter weekend traditionally marks the start of tourism season for destinations like Ningaloo, but cyclone damage has created significant uncertainty about when visitors will be able to return.
Category Four Cyclone Leaves Trail of Destruction
Cyclone Narelle reached category four status with winds up to 260 kilometers per hour, causing widespread damage across the region. The storm has shut down access roads to popular tourism spots and forced the closure of Learmonth Airport until at least Monday due to significant roof damage to the terminal building. State Emergency Service teams responded to 96 requests for assistance in the Pilbara region, primarily in Exmouth, with an additional 54 callouts in the Midwest Gascoyne area.
Tourism Operators Face Critical Challenges
Ningaloo Lodge owner and Shire of Exmouth deputy president Jackie Brooks reported minimal damage to her own accommodation but emphasized the broader challenges facing the community. "Once we can get back up and going, the ones that are open will be able to take tourists," Ms Brooks stated. "Unfortunately Warroora and Bullara Station were impacted as well, quite substantially, so from a tourism point of view, I really hope that the government will step up and support the stations and our town at this time because it is quite devastating."
Ms Brooks highlighted the compounding effects of infrastructure damage: "It is really devastating seeing the impact that we've had and obviously, with the roads closed and the airport not being able to bring people in, that's going to affect a lot of our tourism operators here." She urged travelers to support small businesses once the town reopens, noting that this period represents the peak tourism season that businesses heavily rely upon.
Bullara Station Suffers Severe Damage
The tourist hotspot Bullara Station in Exmouth has been particularly hard hit, with the cattle farm posting a social media update just days before their tourist season was scheduled to begin. "Due to the severe impacts of cyclone Narelle, we are currently unable to open as we work through significant damage and loss," the station announced. The outback station had been expecting visitors to start arriving from April 1, but staff are now focused on draining floodwaters and repairing extensive structural damage instead.
Charter Boat Operator Describes Industry Impact
Exmouth charter boat operator Craig Kitson explained the practical challenges facing his business: "The airport is closed and the water is brown so I'm just waiting for all of that to clear up. All of us are just at the end of summer, where we don't really get a lot of work so this is the kickstart to the year for most of us so this is obviously going to have an impact." Mr Kitson added that fuel price concerns were already affecting bookings before the cyclone struck, suggesting a difficult year ahead for tourism operators.
Agricultural Sector Also Hard Hit
Beyond tourism, farmers in Carnarvon are assessing significant crop damage from the storm. Sweeter Banana Co-operative business manager Doriana Mangili reported that her banana farm suffered between 50 to 80 percent crop damage. "This is our third extreme weather event this year," Ms Mangili noted. "January we had a heat wave, February we had a cyclone now March we have a cyclone. We're already at about 50 percent of production capacity, we're going to be looking at very, very low volume."
Community Services and Infrastructure Recovery
While Exmouth IGA was able to open on Saturday, the store implemented a one-basket-per-person limit to prevent panic buying. Local resident Jamie Brooks expressed concerns about supply limitations: "There's a one-basket-per-person rule, but when people are scared and trying to prepare without power and with water restrictions, one basket doesn't feel like enough. Everyone's just trying to make sure they can get through the next few days."
The Water Corporation continues to urge residents in Exmouth and Onslow to limit non-essential water use as restoration efforts continue. Horizon Power teams arrived in Exmouth on Saturday to begin restoring electricity services. Burkett Road, a key connection between the North West Coastal Highway and Exmouth, was expected to open on Saturday afternoon, though roads into Exmouth from the south remain closed with no confirmed reopening date.
Wildlife Impact and Regional Variations
Wildlife also suffered during the cyclone, with BaluBlue founder Brinkley Davies reporting hundreds of bird deaths and a baby dolphin that washed up alive but did not survive. Meanwhile, the Mid West region avoided the worst of the storm as Narelle rapidly weakened and moved eastward on Friday night. Geraldton, which had been forecast to experience category one cyclone conditions, recorded only minimal impact with a strongest wind gust of 56 kilometers per hour and just 1.6 millimeters of rain.
The after effects of Narelle continued to be felt in other areas, with Mandurah receiving more than 100 millimeters of rain, leading to over 120 requests for assistance to State Emergency Services in the Perth metropolitan area due to water ingress and flooding incidents.
