FIFTY-FIVE years ago, one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the Whitsundays struck with a force that rocked the region.
Cyclone Ada was a category 4 cyclone that wreaked havoc over two days – January 17 and 18 – in 1970.
The region took a battering that sank boats, decimated resorts and towns, uprooted trees and flattened buildings.
Tragically, 14 people lost their lives.
Many survivors of that terrible time still live in the region and, last Friday (January 17), they got together for a reunion, to share stories and remember those two days that changed everything.
The Cyclone Ada survivors 55th anniversary reunion lunch took place at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, Airlie Beach.
The informal event was followed by a visit to the Cyclone Ada Memorial, on the Airlie Beach Foreshore, which was erected five years ago, in January 2020, to mark the 50th anniversary.
The memorial was made possible due to the prolonged efforts and persistence of a small, dedicated group of survivors, who made up the Cyclone Ada Committee, along with grants from Whitsunday Regional Council and Wilmar Sugar, and donations from local residents.
A book of survivors’ stories – ‘A Community Remembers’ – was also published and is still available to purchase at the Proserpine Museum (the proceeds from the book go to the museum).
At the time the memorial was unveiled, a Proserpine Museum spokesperson recounted the following:
“January 17 and 18 are dates forever etched in my memory, as is the year 1970.
“50 years ago, on this date, the Whitsunday islands, coastline and inland to Proserpine were ravaged, destroyed and flooded by Cyclone Ada.
“Many in our community would like to compare Ada to Cyclone Debbie (2017) but there’s no comparison. They were different times – a different lifestyle and a smaller population.
“For one, people were prepared for Cyclone Debbie. There was no preparation and hardly any warning for Ada.”
The Cyclone Ada Committee wrote letters to the relatives of loved ones who had died during Cyclone Ada and the unveiling of the memorial, on January 18, 2020, was the first opportunity for many to finally have peace.
There were speeches, a dedication service, and the laying of wreaths at the memorial.
About 23 people attended the reunion lunch, last Friday, when stories of survival and heroism were shared.
With little to no warning, many boats were still out at sea when Ada struck and the passengers had to be rescued – many locals rose to the task, putting their own lives at risk.
All roads in the area were blocked by floodwaters at the time and it was a scene of utter decimation and chaos.
The following people – all of them survivors – attended the lunch: Kaye Cronan (one of the organisers), Mario and Gloria Demartini, Leanne Adamson (formerly Paterson), Jeannie Hynson (formerly Grosskreutz), Ian McClintock (former marine crew), Meryl McIntyre and her husband Barry McIntyre (a crew member on the vessel Roylen Viane), as well as other marine crew including Bill Liddel, Ray Dibben, Garry McCubben, Paul and Annette Stevenson, Greg and Fay Davey, and Mark and Di O’Donnell.
Locals who had their homes devastated on land also attended the lunch, including Rex and Jeremy Robinson, Brian and Rhonda Davey, and Col Young and family.
During Cyclone Ada, the vessel Roylen Viane, along with Roylen IMF, came up from Mackay in extremely rough conditions and rescued all the stranded guests from the wrecked resorts, then transported them to Bowen by boat (the roads were blocked), where the locals there took care of them.
Barry McIntyre told the story of that epic voyage – the rescue and evacuation of the residents and holidaymakers on the islands – at the reunion lunch.
Following is an excerpt from his story:
‘It was wet and rough and we anchored down before dark, having put out extra anchors.
‘The wind and rain got progressively worse and we were held side-on to the swell, so we were rolling all the time and it got so bad, we were almost dipping the gunnels while at anchor.
‘The rain and wind were so hard it was stripping the paint off the boat.
‘Everything inside and down below was soaking wet – the bunks, the bedding and the floors. It was relentless.’
