A LARGE chunk of our population was lucky enough to see it, and a handful were unlucky enough to be affected by it, but by now all have heard of the amazing tornado that struck Bombala on November 8.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Although wild weather was predicted, none could have expected the incredible funnel which swirled from the clouds on the Tuesday afternoon, touching down roughly between MCH Welding and the Sewerage Works.
The tornado whipped along a narrow strip of ground, leaving a path of destruction for approximately 4 kilometres from the far side of the Bombala River, continuing to the east of the old Rosemeath School.
The worst hit were Fred and Beverley Wilbers on the Delegate Road, with part of their roof being ripped from their home, a window smashed and other damage done around their property.
Beverly and her elderly father were home at the time, and she said the twister was frightening, but more of a shock than anything as she watched it approach quickly from the kitchen window.
Once the roaring of the tornado had passed, Beverly called the SES to assist with patching her roof against oncoming rain, but Mal Hurley and the staff of MCH Welding beat them to it.
They bravely clambered up on the roof despite lightning and strong winds, and covered the gaping hole left behind by the tornado before heavy rains hit.
Meanwhile the tornado had also flattened a neighbouring local’s stables, and several sheds were destroyed, with tin and other pieces of flying debris being left way up in tall trees nearby.
The ferocity of the tornado was illustrated by corrugated iron being wrapped around those trees, and other trees which machinery had previously failed to budge being entirely ripped from the ground.
Fascinated onlookers took in the awesome sight of the tornado, with students at the Bombala High School and workers at Tasco’s Sandy Lane mill site getting a particularly good view.
All say it began forming and then disappeared within half an hour, and it was not long before footage of the event captured on mobile phones was uploaded to Youtube and Facebook, and later appeared on Channel 9 News.
The tornado’s path is still clearly visible just outside of town, particularly in a paddock opposite the saleyards, with a long line of trees lying destroyed right next to those that were spared.
