The Brisbane Storm 16/11/08

[bendnstretch]

Gday all,

Well the storm came right over our house and we survived but our clothesline got trashed by a few falling branches from our trees.

Many others were not so fortunate.

Once the storm died down I went outside, into the neighbourhood, with my chainsaw and just started to cut any debris that had blocked peoples driveways and any trees that obstructed the roadway. But I avoided any debris with fallen power lines and let me tell you, there was heaps of down wires every where.

Many people came out and gave me a hand to move away the cut debris, I moved from street to street and returned home around 8pm that night. I returned home, with no power, so it was candle power for us and a cold shower, I was knackered.

We didn't get our power back until 4pm the next day, I have to say, good job to all those lines men for doing a good job.

The next day I took some photos while driving home from work.





















On the way into work this morning there was a massive convoy of big trucks and heavy machinery heading out to all that carnage.

There is still a heap Power workers travelling up our street and I am sure there are a heap of workers in many areas even now as I type this to you.

[Cromag]

Hope you QLD'ers are all dry and familys safe.

looks like theres plenty of bbq wood lyin around!

[Stoand]

well done for helping out ben

[sks]

I bet you are busy benny boy with all those trees.

[bendnstretch]

No but my mates are.

I don't like to sit around and watch.

[BobbaZooki]

I feel for you's mob up in Brissie , it's the most frighting experience , i should know , as a 15yr old in Darwin in 1974 i went thru the mother of all storms , at 220mph it wiped out everything in her path ....everything . if you look closely at any photo taken at the time , you will notice that not a single tree can be seen , and before Tracy, Darwin was green and lush from the sub tropical climate , and the power poles where made from steel ,not timber and twisted them like pretzel's .
you will notice too ,that in some pic's the road is free from debris , that's because those suburbs closest to the Airport and harbour where cleared first , by the military ,who then just bulldozed there way towards the northern suburbs , where the RAAF would fly low in helicopters to see if anybody needed help or surplus's , then they would just literally dump the surplus out of the chopper , inside was the usual Army stuff , blanket's battery's, tin food ,torch's . It was quite an experence , belive you me , something that i never want to experence again in my life . if ever you's come across a Doco that was made a few day's directly after Tracy called
"When will the birds return" you will see first hand the full impact of that night .. in living colour

[Cherrybomb]

Geez, I bet pulling out those pics again brings a shiver bobbazooki?

Both would have been an unforgettable experience.

[Prof]

I lived in Pt Pirie at the time and was on the road as one of the first convoys came through. Every car was dented and many badly damaged and they were all coverd in thick red mud. I distincly remember a family in their car with NO glass in the windows because the roof was so crushed in it only allowed them to crouch... They'd driven like that all the way from Darwin. A lot of Pirie folks went out to the fuel station on the highway and gave people money and food, filled up their tanks for them as they pulled up at the servo (Whimpies). I reckon a few were given cars as well and also invited to stay and rest up by ordinary Pirie folks.

[sks]

[Bacca]

Boy football can reak havoc