Hervey Bay Gossip

Right now here in Hervey Bay the sky is full of cloud, there’s rain about and the forecast is for some wild weather for the next 24 hours.

Last Monday as the sun went down the sky was a whole lot different.

The Bureau of Meteorolgy issed the following Severe Weather Warning at 11am this morning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST SEVERE WEATHER WARNING for Damaging Winds, Heavy Rain and Flash Flooding, and Dangerous Surf for the southern Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, and Southeast Coast districts.

Synoptic situation: A low pressure system is developing over the Coral Sea, northeast of  Gladstone. The low is expected to move south southwest closer to the coast tonight. 

Damaging wind gusts to 100 km/hr have already been reported along the Fraser Island and northern Sunshine Coast. Further damaging winds with gusts to 110 km/hr are expected about coastal and island communities between Yeppoon and Sunshine Coast, including Fraser Island tonight and early Saturday.

These wind gusts will spread southwards to the remainder of the Southeast Coast district during Saturday. Winds will begin to ease north of Gladstone on Saturday. 

Rainfall in excess of 100mm has occurred over coastal areas between Hervey Bay and Maroochydore. This has caused localised flooding in the Hervey Bay area and some stream rises in coastal streams along the Sunshine Coast.

Further heavy rain is expected about the coastal areas and adjacent inland areas between Gladstone and Sunshine Coast today and early Saturday. Some localised flash flooding and stream rises are expected with the heavier falls. The heavy rain is expected to extend to the southern parts of the Southeast Coast district on Saturday and Sunday.

Seas likely to be rough with dangerous surf conditions between Gladstone and Point Danger with coastal erosion.

The State Emergency Service advises that people in the affected area should:

- secure loose outdoor items

- avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters

- if near the coastline, stay well away from the waters edge

The Bureau of Meteorology issued the following Severe Weather Warning at 4.55am this morning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for Damaging Winds, Heavy Rain and Flash Flooding, and Dangerous Surf for the southern Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, and Southeast Coast districts.

Synoptic situation: A low pressure system is developing NE of the Capricorn coast at present and is expected to move towards the coast by Saturday.

Damaging winds with gusts to 95 km/hr are expected about coastal and island communities in the southern Capricornia and Wide Bay and Burnett districts, including Fraser Island with coastal erosion. These winds will spread southwards into the Southeast Coast district during the weekend.

Heavy rain is expected to develop about the coast and adjacent inland in the southern Capricornia and Wide Bay and Burnett districts. The heavy rain is expected to extend into the Southeast Coast district on Saturday. Some localised flash flooding is expected with the heavier falls.

Seas are likely to become rough with dangerous surf conditions developing between Fraser Island and Point Danger.

The State Emergency Service advises that people in the affected area should:

- secure loose outdoor items

- avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters

- if near the coastline, stay well away from the water’s edge

Hervey Bay boat owners will not be happy with the news that the Queensland government is set to increase boat registration fees. Increases will range from $15 for the humble tinnie up to $360 for larger vessels.

All vessels with a motor rated at 3kw or more must be registered. You can read more about the increase in boat registration fees here

Most people who live in Hervey Bay tend to think that it’s one of the most beautiful places to live in Queensland. To hear us talk you would think that the sun shone 365 days of the year and it hardly ever rains … or gets cold.

So perhaps I should whisper this … at 4pm today it was just 17C and the rain was coming down. The above photo was taken down at Cafe Balaena in Urangan and we’re looking through their plastic curtains at a rather bleak view of the Boat Harbour.

Now I’m off to dig in the wardrobe for some warm clothes.

If you’re into Australian jazz then Galapagos Duck needs no introduction … they’ve been around since the 1970s … but if you haven’t seen or heard the Duck in action before then you’ve been missing one of Australia’s top jazz bands.

Galapagos Duck will be in Hervey Bay on June 2 for one performance at the Hervey Bay Boat Club starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale at the Boat Club and this is one performance you really shouldn’t miss.

I’ve just been looking through my collection of Duck vinyl and I know what I’m going to be playing today

If you weren’t in Hervey Bay this weekend you certainly missed out on some great weather. It’s almost winter and the nights are getting a little cool but the days are just glorious.

On Saturday afternoon these paddlers weren’t the only ones enjoying time on and in the water.

And on Sunday there were plenty of people out and about on the beach.

It seems that the Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara has been coming in for quite a bit of criticism lately and let’s face it, the Dingo Fence over on Fraser Island hasn’t done anything to increase his public profile in any positive way.

However, perhaps we knockers are being a litte unfair on our local member … sure he’s made at least one dumb decision but now he’s stepping up to the plate and facing a very difficult situation head on. While there are plenty of politicians who would like to hide their head in the sand and wish problems like these would just go away our Andrew is telling your straight … we’re looking at fuel rationing!

He’s being quite blunt about it too and he’s told the state Cabinet that fuel rationing really isn’t a case of if but when and when it comes we need to be prepared for it or we’re all going to be up the creek without a paddle.

It’s all very well to think that we’ll be able to rely on public transport … but that’s already stretched to the limit. And of course we can all buy electric cars … but what happens to the power grid when we all plug those cars into the system to recharge them?

It’s not going to be a popular story but someone has to tell it and it seems that someone is our local member. The Courier Mail is running the full story here.

It’s been many a long year since anything like this was seen sailing the waters of Hervey Bay and it certainly was attracting plenty of attention of people along bike path at Urangan.

So Tourism Queensland brought a bunch of travel agents from the UK to Hervey Bay and showed them the sights … but did they get to see the stunning sunrises and sunsets?

Did they get to see the real Hervey Bay and meet the friendly local people … or did they just get to see it all from the rather sterile surroundings of the white monstrosity down at Urangan?

It’s when you get out and meet the real people and look at it from our point of view that you begin to see just what a great place Hervey Bay really is.