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Cyclone Leonta was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in
Cyclone Leonta was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the Australian state of Queensland that lies just south of Far North Queensland. Queensland is a massive state, larger than many countries, and its tropical northern part has been ...
on 9 March 1903. It lasted for around twelve hours, and was the most damaging cyclone ever to hit Townsville at that time, surpassing Cyclone Sigma of 1896, with approximately 14 lives lost (12 in Townsville and 2 in Charters Towers). It caused approximately £250,000 damage in 1903 terms.
It destroyed the Townsville General Hospital, with several of the lives lost being in the building's collapse, and Townsville Grammar School. It tore the roof off St James Cathedral and Sacred Heart Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral may refer to:
Africa
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*Sacred Heart Cathedral, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
*Sacred Heart Cathedral, Freetown, Sierra Leone
*Sacred Heart Cathedra ...
and severely damaged the Townsville School of Arts
Townsville School of Arts is a heritage-listed former school of arts and now community cultural centre at Stanley Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Eyre & Munro and built in 1891 by James Sm ...
and Queen's Hotel. In Townsville, it was reported that "seven out of every 10 houses between Castle Hill and Eyre St ereeither missing or seriously damaged". Three Methodist churches were destroyed in Townsville and surrounds alone, with the Baptist and Chinese churches also demolished. The T. Whalley & Sons stores and offices, formerly the Norman Hall, and nearby Burns Philp & Co. bulk produce store were completely destroyed.
In Bowen Bowen may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Bowen, Queensland, a town
* Bowen Hills, Queensland, a suburb
** Bowen Hills railway station, a railway station in Bowen Hills
** Bowen Park, Brisbane, a park in Bowen Hills
* Bowen Bridge, crossing the Derw ...
, many houses were damaged or destroyed, with widespread damage to public and commercial buildings. The Bowen railway station
Bowen railway station is located on the North Coast line in Queensland, Australia. It serves the town of Bowen. The station has one platform.
Services
Bowen is served by Traveltrain's ''Spirit of Queensland
The Spirit of Queensland is ...
saw most of its buildings unroofed, the Burns Philp & Co. store, Drill Shed and municipal baths were destroyed, with many shops and hotels losing verandahs or roofs.
In the town of Ayr, most of the buildings were either destroyed or lost their roofs; the Shire of Burdekin describes both Ayr and Brandon as having been "substantially demolished" by the cyclone. Both the historic Burdekin Shire Council Chambers
Burdekin Shire Council Chambers is a heritage-listed town hall at 145 Young Street, Ayr, Shire of Burdekin, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Frederick Smith and built in 1937 by local builder AS Wight. It is also known as Ayr Shire Co ...
and Ayr Court House
Ayr Court House is a heritage-listed courthouse at 163 Queen Street, Ayr, Shire of Burdekin, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Douglas Francis Woodcraft Roberts and built from 1935 to 1941 by day labour. It was added to the Queensland H ...
suffered major damage.
On Magnetic Island, the first Picnic Bay Jetty
Picnic Bay Jetty is a heritage-listed jetty at Esplanade, Picnic Bay, Magnetic Island, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1959 to 1977. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 April 2004.
History
The ...
was significantly damaged by the cyclone, necessitating its eventual replacement.
The cyclone was named by notable meteorologist Clement Lindley Wragge.
References
External links
{{commons category-inline, Cyclone Leonta (1903) 1903 in Australia Disasters in Queensland Townsville Leonta