The country of Australia experiences tornadoes 60 times per year. The earliest tornado on record in the country was in 1795.
A tornado refers to a violently rotating column of air that reaches the ground, which can be among the most destructive of all atmospheric phenomena.[1] In Australia, a tornado is also known as a twister or willy-willy. The earliest recorded tornado in Australia was in 1795. The country experiences about 60 tornadoes per year.[2]
| Tornado event | Date | Area | Tornadoes | Casualties | Notes | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1795 | 1 | 0 | The earliest tornado record in the Bureau of Meteorology archives, it destroyed crops and trees in the early settlement.[3] | |||
| Port Phillip tornado | 29 January 1837 | 1 | 0 | Believed to be the first tornado observed by the colonists of Port Phillip (and in Australia in general). Following a trail of over 60 miles from the heads of Port Phillip to Geelong and as far north as Mount Macedon, it caused much damage and uprooting of trees.[4] | ||
| Parramatta tornado | 21 December 1841 | 1 | 0 | Tornado observed west of Sydney that caused damage to churches and schools in Parramatta, destroying homes and uprooting trees.[5] | ||
| Murrumbidgee tornado | 9 October 1844 | 1 | 0 | Part of a larger storm cell which caused extensive flooding. A tornado was observed in Murrumbidgee District near Gundagai, causing extensive damage to forest area.[6] | ||
| Devil's river tornado | 26 December 1848 | 1 | 0 fatalities, 3 injured | Tornado swept across farmland whilst hurling large hailstones, killing numerous livestock and injuring settlers.[7] | ||
| Wee Waa tornado | 26 November 1849 | 1 | 0 | Huts had their roofs removed; there were trees uprooted.[8] | ||
| Campbell's river tornado | 5 January 1852 | Campbell's River, New South Wales | 1 | 0 | This destructive tornado cut a path through farmland and forest, reaching the outskirts of Bathurst, New South Wales.[9] [10] | |
| Waratah tornado | 16 September 1860 | 1 | 0 | Related to storm over Newcastle, this tornado cut a path from Minmi to Hexham and Waratah, throwing wagons through the air and uprooting trees on its way toward the ocean.[11] | ||
| Chetwynd tornado | 1 July 1861 | Western Victoria | 1 | 1 reported | A large tornado was reported at Chetwynd Station moving along the tributary of the Glenelg River toward Harrow. It carried large objects including trees, poles, and huts to distances from several yards to miles through the air.[12] Two men were reported to have been thrown great distances in the air; one was reported to hit the ground and was dead on impact.[13] | |
| Hamilton tornado | 22 October 1861 | Western Victoria | 1 | 0 | Originating near the South Australian border at Lindsay and passing through Casterton, a tornado cut a path through Hamilton, where it caused extensive damage to buildings before moving east and uprooting trees and taking the roofs off houses. A Scotch church in Hamilton was destroyed, along with another church, and several commercial premises- including two hotels- were leveled, causing A£5000 in damage. No casualties were reported.[14] [15] | |
| Maryborough tornado | 25 February 1864 | North-west Victoria | 1 | 2 fatalities, numerous injuries | A tornado cut a swathe from Maryborough to Creswick and Bullarook, north of Ballarat. A father and his son were killed by a tree thrown through the air, and numerous others were injured. The tornado damaged numerous buildings and uprooted trees.[16] | |
| Beechworth tornado | 26 October 1865 | 1 | 1 | Massive damage to Beechworth from tornado, leaving churches and schools demolished, houses without roofs, and objects thrown great distances. A Chinese man died when the hut he was inside had collapsed on him.[17] | ||
| Bowen tornado | 22 February 1876 | Bowen, Queensland | 1 | 1 fatality, numerous injuries | A destructive tornado caused severe damage to Bowen. One was killed, and many more were injured (some injuries were serious). The damages amounted to at least A£7,000. Many buildings were severely damaged or destroyed, including the Bowen hospital, where many patients sustained minor injuries.[18] | F5 |
| Nhill tornado | 19 November 1897 | 1 | 3 | A deadly tornado left a destructive trail across over 250 km of northwestern Victoria. It virtually destroyed the town of Nhill, where A£50,000 of damage was reported. All of the town's churches and many of the houses were destroyed. Extensive damage was also inflicted on the town of Donald, where one person died and a church, a school, and numerous other buildings were demolished. The total damage bill was A£4,000 in that town. At Maryborough, a further 2 deaths were recorded. At Rupanyup, the damage was estimated at A£200.[19] [20] [21] | ||
| Nevertire tornado | 29 December 1897 | 1 | Numerous injuries | A destructive tornado with a path 14 miles long struck the town of Nevertire, leaving many people injured.[22] |
| Tornado event | Date | Area | Tornadoes | Casualties | Notes | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narrabri tornado | 2 December 1900 | 1 | 0 | A destructive tornado caused total estimated damage of A£8,000.[23] | ||
| Narrabri tornado | 6 January 1902 | 1 | 1 fatality, numerous injured | A second and more destructive tornado at Narrabri destroyed a railway goods shed. Only a few buildings were undamaged. The estimated total damage was A£10,000.[24] | ||
| Ballarat tornado | 19 August 1909 | 1 | 1 fatality, >7 injured | During a severe flooding event, a tornado touched down in Ballarat, sweeping across the city's northern and eastern suburbs, destroying numerous homes in Ballarat North, Soldiers Hill, Black Hill and Ballarat East. The tornado lifted before touching down again at Eureka, where it destroyed more homes before dissipating.[25] [26] | ||
| Marong tornado | 27 September 1911 | 1 | 1 fatality, >12 injured | This tornado caused severe damage to Marong and Lockwood. This is the first tornado photographed in Australia.[27] | Likely an F3 | |
| 2 February 1918 | 3 | >2 fatalities, many injuries | Known as the 'Brighton Cyclone',[28] these tornadoes hit Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne. At one location two tornado tracks crossed, creating (in the language of the day) a "veritable orgy of destruction".[29] In the few minutes that the storm lasted, two people were killed and many others were injured. Wind speeds were estimated at 320 km/h, making this possibly the most intense tornado to hit a major Australian city.[30] Total estimated damage was A£100,000 – 150,000. | F3 | ||
| Portarlington tornado | 9 January 1921 | 2 | 0 fatalities, >1 injuries | A tornado and a waterspout formed in the area of Corio Bay, moving east where it struck Portarlington and St Leonards before dissipating in Port Phillip. The Grand Hotel was damaged, and roofs were removed from a church and several houses. Trees were torn out of the ground, and there were reports of several people being carried up to 40 feet in the air.[31] [32] | ||
| Geelong tornado | 22 July 1926 | 1 | 1 fatality, 20-30 injured | A tornado that originated in the Western District moved east, striking Lismore in South West of Victoria, where there was considerable damage and trees torn out of the ground. Headed east, the tornado cut a swathe through the southwest of Victoria until it reached the populated area of Geelong. It cut a path through the southern suburbs of Highton, where two churches, two halls, and two houses were destroyed among other buildings; Marshall; and Belmont, where a total of seven homes were destroyed.[33] Total estimated damage in Geelong was A£40,000.[34] | ||
| Dwellingup tornado | 16 April 1954 | 1 | 0 fatalities | This tornado tore through the Jarrah forest along a 10km (10miles) path. The tornado was reported to be 200m (700feet) wide near Lyalls Mill.[35] | F3 | |
| Port Macquarie tornado | 6 July 1962 | New South Wales | 1 | 3 fatalities | An intense waterspout reached landfall at Port Macquarie causing widespread damage. 3 men were killed as a house collapsed on them.[36] | |
| Busselton tornado | 10 July 1964 | Western Australia | 1 | 1 fatality | 1 person was killed when his car was pulled off the road by a tornado near Busselton.[37] | |
| 1 January 1970 | 1 | 0 fatalities | Believed to be one of the strongest Australian tornadoes,[38] this tornado left a 21km (13miles) long and 1- wide destruction path through the Bulahdelah State Forest. According to reports, it threw a two-ton tractor 100m (300feet) through the air, depositing it upside down. It is estimated that the tornado destroyed over one million trees.[39] | F5 | ||
| Kin Kin tornado | 14 August 1971 | Queensland | 1 | 3 fatalities | Three people were killed at Kin Kin (a small community between Gympie and Noosa). | |
| Brisbane tornado | 4 November 1973 | 1, other funnels reported | 0 fatalities | Believed to be the most destructive Australian tornado, this funnel had a path length of 51km (32miles), and peak wind-speeds were estimated to be in excess of 300km/h. 500 houses had their roofs removed, 1,400 more were destroyed, and 500 were declared structurally unsafe. At least one home was swept away from its foundation.[40] | F3 | |
| Port Hedland tornado | 17 December 1975 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | A spectacular tornado with a purple funnel was on the ground in front of the weather bureau.[41] | |
| 13 November 1976 | Victoria | 3 | 2 fatalities | Two fatalities occurred when a car with occupants inside was thrown by the tornado. This tornado from the outbreak caused $300,000 in damage.[42] | F2/F3 | |
| Northam tornado | 21 December 1977 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | Described as "the most beautiful Australian tornado" due to the colour of the vortex being red from picking up the red-coloured dirt, this tornado made a path 6 - 7 km long and uprooted several large gum trees.[43] | |
| Drummoyne and Hunters Hill tornado | 10 February 1978 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities, 8 injuries | During an outbreak of severe thunderstorms in eastern New South Wales affecting Newcastle Sydney and Wollongong, a storm produced a tornado in the Drummoyne and Hunters Hill area of metropolitan Sydney, ripping the roof from a house.[44] The severe weather injured a total of eight across the affected area, causing an estimated A$15 million in damage with a 2011 normalized cost of A$215 million.[45] | |
| Port Macquarie Tornado | 13 September 1985 | New South Wales | 1 | – | Buildings were destroyed and cars were thrown through the air, causing a total of more than A$3 million in damages.[46] | |
| Elsmore tornadoes | 6 November 1989 | 3 | - | A destructive tornado damaged up to 25 homes; five were completely destroyed.[47] | F3 | |
| SE QLD tornadoes | 24 December 1989 | South East Queensland | >1 | - | A massive supercell with cloud tops as high as 77000feet tore through Brisbane and parts of Southeast Queensland, producing several tornadoes along its path. A combination of straight line winds and a tornado ripped the roofs from 500 houses, damaged 1000 houses, and left 12 structurally unsafe in the city of Redcliffe (approximately 25km (16miles) north of Brisbane).[48] | |
| Chisholm Tornado | 1990 | Australian Capital Territory | 1 | 0 fatalities, 5 injuries | A tornado hit Canberra (a suburb of Chisholm), destroying a wooden church and damaging 37 houses.[49] | |
| 29 November 1992 | Queensland, | 2 | 0 fatalities | The tornado at Bucca (west of Bundaberg) is known as the most intense Australian tornado. Hail the size of cricket balls accompanied the storm. A tornado also struck Oakhurst. | F4 and F3 | |
| Tucabia tornado | 1 November 1993 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities, 2 injuries | This tornado had a 200m base and was accompanied by golf ball sized hail and lasted for 20 minutes. 8 houses were destroyed while 35 others were damaged. 2 people were injured.[50] | F2 |
| Blue Mountains tornado | 20 November 1994 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | This tornado hit Yellow Rock in the Blue Mountains, causing destruction to multiple houses. Trees were uprooted.[51] | F0/F1 |
| Chatswood tornado | 20 November 1994 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | This tornado hit Chatswood (north of Sydney). Multiple houses were destroyed, and trees were uprooted. | F0/F1 |
| Merimbula tornado | 16 April 1995 | New South Wales | 2 | 0 fatalities, 34 injuries | Two funnels were reported with this storm. One tornado ripped through the center of the town of Merimbula in SE New South Wales. 34 people were injured and approximately 200 buildings were damaged (12 were destroyed). Another tornado caused damage at Pambula (which was nearby).[52] | F2 |
| New South Wales tornado outbreak | 29 September 1996 | Central New South Wales | 3 confirmed | 0 fatalities | The largest outbreak of severe thunderstorms ever documented in New South Wales was reported to produce three tornadoes, hail up to 7 cm, and wind gusts to 156 km/h. Over A$92 million insured loss from hail and wind is sustained at Armidale. Total estimated cost for the region is A$340 million.[53] 3 tornadoes were confirmed in the towns of Bundella, Gilgandra, and Elong Elong.[54] | |
| Perth tornado | 15 July 1996 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities, 5 injuries | This short-lived tornado was associated with a cold front. The tornado's speed was estimated to have been 80km/h, and its path was approximately 4km (02miles) long and 40m (130feet) wide. The tornado lasted on the ground for approximately 3 minutes.[55] | |
| Fremantle tornado | 25 August 1999 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 | A tornado went through Fremantle (south of Perth), leaving a 100m (300feet) wide, 8- long track. Several people were trapped in an apartment block when the tornado caused the roof to collapse.[56] |
| Tornado event | Date | Area | Tornadoes | Casualties | Notes | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greystanes tornado | 3 November 2000 | New South Wales | 3 confirmed | 0 fatalities | A tornadic thunderstorm moved through the Sydney Metropolitan Area over the afternoon/early evening. Three tornadoes struck several suburbs, including Constitution Hill, Wentworthville, Pendle Hill, and Greystanes. Golf ball-sized hail and widespread downing of trees and overhead power lines were observed during the damage survey as was minor to moderate structural damage.[57] | All F0/F1 |
| 26 December 2001 | Off the south coast of New South Wales, Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | During the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the boat Nicorette recorded wind speeds of close to 100kn and was struck by hail the size of golf balls. According to the boat's meteorologist, the tornado began with a diameter of around 50m (160feet), but grew to 500m (1,600feet).[58] | ||
| South Australia tornado outbreak | 18 May 2002 | 2 | 0 fatalities | Two tornadoes associated with a strong cold front occurred in the morning. The first tornado, at 6:15 am (ACST), near Coulta (7km (04miles) in length), uprooted several trees and damaged others on farmland. The second, at 10 am (ACST), caused a narrow 2km (01miles) long path of damage through the Adelaide suburbs of Rosslyn Park and Wattle Park. In the evening, another tornado or severe down-burst associated with a hail storm occurred at Two Wells, causing a damage path of less than 500m (1,600feet) in length.[59] | ||
| Niangala tornado | 13 October 2002 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado in Niangala damaged hundreds of trees and destroyed two houses. Nearby, hail up to 6cm (02inches) was recorded at Walcha.[60] [61] | F2 |
| Bendigo tornado | 18 May 2003 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado caused considerable damage within the City of Bendigo, Victoria, damaging around 50 homes.[62] [63] | |
| Grampians tornado | 4 January 2004 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado caused considerable damage along a wide track within the Grampains National Park in western Victoria. The tornado track was observed from an aircraft about a week later. The tornado tore large trees out of the ground, leaving a bare patch of about 8ha10ha without any vegetation at all.[64] | |
| Noble Park tornado | 9 June 2004 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado caused considerable damage along a damage path 3.2km (02miles) long and from 50- wide. More than 70 homes in the Melbourne suburbs of Noble Park and Mulgrave were affected. Winds were estimated to be up to 180km/h.[65] | F1 |
| Coonabarabran tornado | 20 January 2005 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | This tornado formed at 4:30pm (AEDT) during a severe thunderstorm and ran a path of over 5km (03miles) towards the southeast, crossing the Oxley Highway, where it uprooted many trees adjacent to the highway and scoured the ground.[66] | F1/F2 |
| Broken Hill tornado | 6 November 2005 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | This tornado damaged 100 homes, leading to a total damage bill of million.[67] | |
| La Perouse tornado | 4 August 2006 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A super cellular waterspout/tornado struck the Sydney suburb of La Perouse. It caused damage to several buildings and brought down powerlines.[68] | F1 |
| Leschenault tornado | 7 August 2006 | Western Australia | 1 | 2 injuries | This tornado hit an outer suburb of Bunbury (163km (101miles) south of Perth) in the early hours of the morning. It damaged sixty houses, with seven of these completely losing their roofs.[69] The tornado injured two and produced a damage path 200 meters wide and 2 kilometers long.[70] | F2 |
| Kakadu tornado | 1 March 2007 | 1 | 0 fatalities | Severe damage was observed in Kakadu National Park at the Mary River Ranger Station. Two caravans were destroyed, and many eucalypts and ironwoods were uprooted. The Bureau of Meteorology experts estimated the wind speeds to be between 230-.[71] | F2/F3 | |
| You Yangs landspout | 14 May 2007 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A landspout | |
| Moana tornado | 21 May 2007 | South Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | Several houses were damaged and trees were blown down or snapped at Moana.[73] | |
| Dunoon tornado | 26 October 2007 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A multi-vortex tornado was caught by storm chaser Jimmy Deguara near the town of Lismore,.[74] The tornado blew out the walls of a church and tore the roofs off about 20 residences. A piece of debris hit a power sub-station that exploded, causing 3000 homes to be without power.[75] [76] | |
| "Ballarat" tornado | 20 December 2007 | 1 | 0 fatalities | A large but brief tornado, part of a storm complex that affected Castlemaine, was in a rural area north of Ballarat. No damage was reported from this tornado. Footage and photographs were taken by storm chasers.[77] | ||
| Perth tornado | 9 June 2008 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | Confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology, the tornado swept through the southern suburbs of Perth just after 7.30 (AWST) in the morning and damaged more than 130 homes. Residents from an aged care facility in Cooloongup were evacuated as the roof of an activity room was blown off. The hostel was without power or water.[78] | |
| Nimmitabel tornado | 23 December 2008 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado occurred between Nimmitabel and Cooma with severe storms that affected the region.[79] |
| Tornado event | Date | Area | Tornadoes | Casualties | Notes | Intensity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atherton tornado | 7 February 2010 | Queensland | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado struck a farm just south of the town of Atherton in Queensland, Australia, causing damage to corn fields and farm equipment.[80] | ||
| Lennox Head waterspout/tornado | 3 June 2010 | New South Wales | 2 | 0 fatalities, multiple injuries | A major storm and waterspout/tornado destroyed homes and caused multiple injuries at Lennox Head.[81] Police say a number of homes have been destroyed, some powerlines were down, and several caravans have been overturned. Paramedics say that several people have been injured in the storm, but nobody was missing.[82] | ||
| Trawalla tornado | 30 July 2010 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado destroyed hundreds of trees and damaged power-lines at Trawalla (near Beaufort).[83] | ||
| Penola tornado | 31 July 2010 | South Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado ripped through the main street of Penola in southeast South Australia, destroying at least four buildings and damaging many others. No injuries were reported.[84] | ||
| Moama tornado | 10 August 2010 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A weak tornado was observed in the town of Moama in southern New South Wales, causing some minor damage.[85] | ||
| Mackay Tornado | 25 December 2010 | Queensland | 1 | 0 Fatalities | A funnel was sighted lowering down to the ocean, after making a touchdown on the water, it made its way west to the suburb of North Mackay, debris was strewn all across the suburb with considerable damage to roofs and sheds. | F1 | |
| Whitton tornado | 1 February 2011 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado struck the town, destroying a carport and damaging houses and trees.[86] | ||
| Yellow Water Billabong tornado | 11 February 2011 | Northern Territory | 1 | 0 fatalities | Footage of a tornado over Yellow Water Billabong (located in the Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory) was captured by a tour guide. There were no fatalities or injuries, and damage was limited to vegetation. | ||
| Karratha tornado | 21 February 2011 | Western Australia | 4 | 0 fatalities, 1 injury | The Karratha CBD was struck by a tornado, related to Tropical Cyclone Carlos. It reportedly uprooted large trees, tore roofs off of houses, and threw boats into the air. One person was injured by flying glass.[87] | ||
| Magpie Valley tornado | 20 April 2011 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A weak tornado was observed and photographed close to Ballarat's southeastern rural-urban fringe in the forestry area between Magpie and Sebastopol. No damage or injury was reported.[88] | ||
| Canning Vale tornado | 20 May 2011 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 fatalities | Perth, a suburb of Canning Vale, was struck by a tornado, damaging a number of homes and one vehicle.[89] [90] | ||
| Red Rock tornado | 14 June 2011 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A waterspout/tornado removed the roof of at least two buildings, including the Bowling Club, and damaged several others in Red Rock.[91] | ||
| Bellbridge tornado | 9 November 2011 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado hit the Bellbridge and Bethanga areas near Wodonga. Several homes were severely damaged, some having their roofs removed, and several trees were uprooted.[92] | ||
| Bacchus Marsh tornado | 25 December 2011 | Victoria | 2+ | 0 fatalities | A tornado hit Fiskville (west of Bacchus Marsh), Victoria. A second tornado was reported at Melton from the same storm. Tennis-ball sized hail and flash flooding also occurred with the storms, leaving an estimated damage bill in the millions of Australian dollars.[93] | ||
| Bredbo tornado | 20 January 2012 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado hit Bredbo in the Snowy Mountains area of New South Wales.[94] | ||
| Townsville tornado | 20 March 2012 | Queensland | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado caused major structural and tree damage in the suburb of Vincent. Wind speeds were estimated at 160- from damage analysis. Other suburbs affected were Garbutt, Gulliver, Aitkenvale, and Annandale.[95] [96] | ||
| Black Range tornado | 31 May 2012 | Victoria | 1 | 0 fatalities | A tornado struck the Black Range (near Stawell), causing minor structural and tree damage.[97] | ||
| Perth tornado outbreak | 7 June 2012 | Western Australia | 2-3 | 0 fatalities | Tornadoes struck the Perth suburbs of Dianella and Morley, damaging homes, trees, and power lines. Light Street and Marmion Street in Dianella suffered the worst damage. Winds were measured at 180km/h.[98] A tornado also struck York, 100km (100miles) east of Perth.[99] A total of 100 homes and buildings were damaged. | F1 | |
| Southern Tasmania tornado outbreak | 9 November 2012 | Tasmania | 2+ | 0 fatalities | Tornadoes were reported on Mount Wellington and Sorell.[100] | ||
| Central Queensland tornado outbreak | 26–27 January 2013 | Queensland | >6 | >20 injured | Several tornadoes struck the Bundaberg region of Central Queensland on 26 January, associated with the remnants of Cyclone Oswald. The first struck Bargara at 1.00pm (AEST), tearing roofs from buildings, and injuring at least six people. Burnett Heads was struck by three separate tornadoes, at 3.15pm, 6.05pm, and 6.30pm. Another tornado crossed the coast at Coonar.[101] A sixth tornado occurred at Burrum Heads on 27 January. There were unconfirmed reports of a tornado at Bribie Island.[102] | F1 | |
| Ballarat tornado | 31 January 2013 | Ballarat, Victoria | 1 | 0 | A small tornado swept through parts of Ballarat. Starting in Ballarat North, where it caused the most damage, it rounded Black Hill, briefly crossing the CBD before sweeping across Ballarat East and continuing to Eureka in the east of the city. The tornado caused extensive and localized minor damage to houses and buildings, tearing away roofs, fences, and garages, smashing windows, uprooting trees, destroying chimneys, cutting power to parts of the CBD, and deactivating traffic lights. Wind gusts of over 80km/h were recorded.[103] [104] [105] [106] | F1 | |
| Sydney-Illawarra Tornado Outbreak | 23–24 February 2013 | New South Wales | 8 | 0 | A tornado with winds of up to 135km/h was observed in Sydney's inner east causing extensive damage at Kirribilli. Damage was also observed at Chifley, Malabar and Randwick. The damage was most severe at Kirribilli, where it removed roofs from houses, uprooted trees, and damaged the Westpac bank and the Sydney Flying Squadron.[107] Several tornadoes struck the Illawarra region south of Sydney, New South Wales. Tornadoes occurred at Kiama, Seven Mile Beach to Nowra (with wind speeds of up to 200km/h),[108] Jamberoo, and Albion Park Rail.[109] The tornado at Kiama caused significant damage to homes.[110] Post-event analysis confirmed 8 tornadoes, with 2 rated F0, 5 at F1 and 1 rated as F2.[111] | 2 F0's, 5 F1, 1 F2 | |
| Eastern Victoria tornado outbreak | 21 March 2013 | North-eastern Victoria and southern New South Wales | 7 | >20 injured | A total of 7 tornadoes touched down, one tornado struck the towns of Koonoomoo, Cobram, Barooga, Mulwala, Yarrawonga, and Bundalong.[112] A second tornado from the same storm was reported at Rutherglen between 6:50-8:30pm (AEDT). A tornado struck the towns of Tamleugh, Euroa and Swanpool.[113] [114] [115] Twenty people sustained injuries requiring hospitalisation, with one in a serious condition and two in a critical but stable condition.[116] Roofs were ripped off homes, caravans upturned, the Barooga Post Office was heavily damaged and a petrol station was damaged at Euroa.[117] The initial tornado is believed to have been the most powerful tornado to have ever hit Victoria, with a rating of F4. Further tornadoes touched down near Kerang, Benalla, and two near Mansfield.[118] | F0, F1, F3, F4 | |
| Ararat tornado | 22 October 2013 | 1 | 0 | A large storm cell over much of the state spawned what were likely short-lived tornadoes in Ararat and Barnawartha in the state's north. In Ararat, a storage building was completely destroyed; several other buildings were damaged, including a hardware store; and numerous homes sustained damage to roofs. Several trees were snapped or uprooted and sheds and fences were levelled in a 500-metre damage path, mainly along McLellan Street.[119] [120] The Bureau of Meteorology described the phenomenon as "either tornadoes or microbursts."[121] | F1 | ||
| Hornsby CBD tornado(The Hornado) | 18 November 2013 | 1 | 0 fatalities, 12 injured | Twelve people were injured by a tornado that struck the CBD area of Hornsby, New South Wales in northwestern Sydney.[122] The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed the tornado event and they believe that it may have started as a waterspout that was sighted at offshore Manly at 2:15pm, weakening overland before intensifying and forming a tornado over Hornsby CBD at 2:46pm.[123] Car dashcam footage captured the tornado as it crossed George Street from the Westfield Hornsby shopping centre across to the railway station.[124] Locals dubbed the event 'The Hornado'. | F1 | ||
| New England tornadoes | 23 November 2013 | New South Wales | 6 | 0 | Up to four tornadoes were suspected to have touched down in the New England region. One tornado had a 100- wide path and estimated winds of 160km/h near Tenterden, New South Wales. It destroyed a home, caused extensive damage to property, and uprooted trees. Storm chasers captured photographs and video footage of the tornado as it touched down from a wall cloud near BenLomond.[125] [126] [127] Six tornadoes of F0 to F1 intensity were confirmed. | F0/F1 | |
| Pakenham tornado | 14 June 2014 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A tornado was filmed as it roped out at Pakenham (south east of Melbourne) at around midday on Saturday, 14 June 2014.[128] | F0 | |
| Perth Metro Tornadoes | 14 July 2014 | Western Australia | 2-4 | 2 fatalities | As many as four tornadoes impacted the metropolitan area around Perth. A confirmed tornado caused significant damage to properties in Hilton and O'Connor, removing entire sections of roof structures to family homes, snapping wooden power poles, and downing trees. Another tornado was confirmed to have damaged homes and downed trees in Claremont. A third tornado is suspected to have been the cause of damage in Beeliar. Further south at Yallingup it is suspected that fourth tornado is responsible for damage, including downed trees.[129] Two men with muscular dystrophy died in Beaconsfield when the power was cut to the home they shared as they slept. Their life support relied on electricity to function, therefore it stopped working during the power outage, leaving the men to die.[130] | F2 | |
| Forrestfield tornado | 7 September 2014 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 | It was reported that the Bureau of Meteorology thought it was likely that a tornado had caused damage in Forrestfield.[131] Later, the Bureau concluded, "Given the damage path, it is likely that a tornado moved through Forrestfield (suburb, southeast of Perth)."[132] The damage to Forrestfield included fallen trees, damaged roofs, and downed light poles.[133] | F0 | |
| Round Hill tornado | 28 July 2014 | Tasmania | 1 | 0 | A tornado destroyed trees and extensively damaged homes and businesses at Round Hill near Burnie, around 5.45 pm (AEST).[134] Pictures show tree trunks snapped off meters from the ground and buildings with roof structures completely removed, some with masonry walls beginning to crumble.[135] A single dark, grainy photo of the tornado was shared with local media.[136] | F1 | |
| Gol Gol tornado | 22 November 2014 | New South Wales and Victoria | 1 | 0 | A tornado carved a path of destruction north of Gol Gol at around 5:00 pm on Saturday 22 November 2014.[137] Affecting over 100 rural properties, the tornado caused over $12 million of damage. Crop damage included over 1000 hectares of table and wine grapes, 790 hectares of citrus, and combined 40 hectares of eggplants, capsicums and melons. The Bureau of Meteorology concluded a tornado spawned by a supercell thunderstorm had left a band of damage from Yelta, Victoria to north of Gol Gol in southwest New South Wales. The damage path was estimated at 20 kilometers in length and possibly up to 2 km wide, along which the tornado had uprooted and snapped trees, damaged vineyards, and ripped roofs off of houses and sheds.[138] | F1 | |
| Bombala tornado | 24 January 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado impacted the New South Wales town of Bombala on Saturday, 24 January 2015, leaving damage to roofs, sheds, and scattering debris across the town.[139] It was witnessed by locals and filmed by one.[140] | F0 | |
| Creswick tornado | 13 February 2015 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A tornado was filmed northwest of Creswick, Victoria. | F0 | |
| Pokolbin tornado | 15 February 2015 | Hunter Valley, New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado left a trail of destruction through a Pokolbin winery. First noticed at 3.30 pm, it went on to destroy a shed and around 150 vines.[141] The tornado was filmed by a witness as it progressed.[142] | F0 | |
| Shepparton tornado | 23 February 2015 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A tornado was reported west of the Victorian town of Shepparton.[143] | F0 | |
| Daylesford tornado | 28 February 2015 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A tornado tore from Eganstown to Daylesford downing hundreds of trees along a 2km (01miles) path approximately 150m (490feet) wide.[144] | F1 | |
| Karratha tornado | 1 May 2015 | Western Australia | 0 | A tornado, associated with the rainbands of TC Quang, was filmed near Karratha. (The video was supplied to the Bureau of Meteorology, so it is not publicly available.)[145] | F0 | ||
| Grafton tornado | 13 June 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado was photographed near Fisher Park in Grafton at around 2.00 pm AEST on Saturday, 13 June 2015.[146] | F0 | |
| Quambone tornado | 11 July 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado impacted the areas of Quambone, Gulargambone, and Armatree on 11 July 2015.[147] The tornado had a width of about NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet).[148] A family's homestead on the Gulargambone property "Eureka" had its roof structure removed and its exterior walls began to disintegrate[149] | F2 | |
| Burrumbuttock tornado | 11 July 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado damaged homes at Burrumbuttock. It was photographed by a resident after it had impacted their home.[150] | F0 | |
| Lake Hume tornado-waterspout | 24 July 2015 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A waterspout was filmed on Lake Hume as a tornadic thunderstorm passed over the lake.[151] | F0 | |
| West Ulverstone tornado | 10 August 2015 | Tasmania | 1 | 0 | A small but damaging tornado went through the northwest Tasmanian town of Ulverstone on the evening of 10 August 2015.[152] Roofs were ripped from houses, the local Lions club, and a strip mall and trees were brought down.[153] | F0 | |
| Dubbo tornado | 24 August 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | On the evening of 24 August 2015 a tornado impacted the semi rural suburbs east of Dubbo, NSW. As it progressed it was filmed across its approximately 15 minute life span.[154] [155] [156] The tornado touched down near Mugga Hill, damaging homes on Acacia Road, Whitehwood Road, Pinedale Road, and Debeuafort Drive.[157] The tornado rolled a truck and completely destroyed sheds.[158] | F1 | |
| Usher tornado | 29 August 2015 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 | A weak tornado was filmed on 29 August 2015 as it impacted the Bunbury suburb of Usher.[159] It left a narrow swathe of damage around 700m (2,300feet) long, occurring at about 1.00 pm AWST.[160] | F0 | |
| Cranbrook tornado | 10 September 2015 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 | A small tornado passed through the Shire of Cranbrook on 10 September 2015.[161] The tornado was associated with the passage of a cold front. The Bureau of Meteorology commented that the damage observed was consistent with the passage of a tornado on the leading edge of the front.[162] | F0 | |
| Upper Caboolture tornado | 29 September 2015 | Queensland | 1 | 0 | A funnel cloud was photographed at Upper Caboolture on 29 September 2015.[163] Separate footage shows dust being blown up by the circulation, while damage was reported to a roof and a trampoline was tossed.[164] | F0 | |
| Darling Downs, tornadoes | 14 October 2015 | Queensland | 2 | 0 | Weak tornadoes were photographed at Highfields and Dalby in Queensland's Darling Downs.[165] | F0 | |
| Bundella tornado | 22 October 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado was photographed at Bundella in the North West Slopes and Plains Forecast District of New South Wales.[166] | F0 | |
| Merrywinebone tornado | 27 October 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado was observed and photographed at Merrywinebone, New South Wales.[167] | F0 | |
| Echuca tornado | 31 October 2015 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A photo of a funnel cloud associated with a left-moving storm causing multiple reports of severe phenomena west of Echuca was supplied to the Bureau of Meteorology.[168] | F0 | |
| Northern Victoria tornado | 1 November 2015 | Nathalia, Strathmerton, Torrumburry, and Cobram, Victoria | 1 | 0 | A significant tornado left a damage path approximately 45km (28miles) long, with damage reports in Nathalia, Strathmerton, Torrumburry, and Cobram.[169] The Bureau of Meteorology noted that the tornado filmed "corresponds to the inflexion point of the squall line on RADAR. Storms developed into a squall line over northern Victoria/Southern NSW which moved into the NE during the afternoon with multiple reports of wind damage. Doppler RADAR showed winds up to 130km/h at 3500ft along back edge of squall line" in the tornado record for this event.[170] Homes were stripped of their roofs and some were designated as uninhabitable.[171] At Torrumburry, a tornado brought down trees and ripped the tin roofing from a house, tearing away the battens to which it was attached.[172] The tornado was filmed as it tore through Nathalia. | F2 | |
| Monarto Tornado | 4 November 2015 | South Australia | 1 | 0 | A tornado was identified in the Monarto area near Murray Bridge. No damage was reported.[173] | F0 | |
| Melbourne Tornado | 5 November 2015 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | On the afternoon of Thursday, 5 November 2015, there were multiple reports of funnel clouds in the Greater Melbourne area. A storm spotter reported seeing two separate funnels touch down.[174] A representative of the Bureau of Meteorology said the tornado struck Melbourne's outer northern suburbs of Tullamarine, Craigieburn, Campbellfield between 1:30 and 2:00 pm AEDT .[175] The tornado was photographed near Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine.[176] | F0 | |
| KCGM Super Pit Tornado | 4 December 2015 | Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia | 1 | 4 injuries | At about 3:30 pm, "tornado-like conditions" swept through KCGM's mobile fleet maintenance workshops, causing major structural damage and cutting power, communication, and water services.[177] The Bureau of Meteorology noted that "Kalgoorlie Doppler Radar image at 0725 UTC (1525 AWST) showed a pixel which had an inbound velocity of around 110 km/h at a height of ~487 metres above the ground (aliased: 22.5 m/s outbound)" in the tornado record for this event.[178] | F0 | |
| Kurnell Tornado | 16 December 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 3 injuries | A single tornado started in southern Sydney with moderate destruction at Kurnell. Houses were destroyed, a roof was thrown 100m (300feet), and multiple large trucks were overturned. The tornado headed out to sea and landed again at Bondi. The peak power approximately 2 km out to sea. 213km/h winds were reported. These are possibly the most powerful winds recorded in New South Wales.[179] [180] [181] In early 2016, the Insurance Council of Australia reported they had received 4282 claims with total insured losses of A$202 million from the tornado.[182] | F2 | |
| Bathurst Tornado | 16 December 2015 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A single tornado was filmed[183] and photographed[184] in the Bathurst region. | F0 | |
| Bowenville Tornado | 23 December 2015 | Queensland | 1 | 0 | A tornado snapped at least 47 power poles, tore roofs from houses, downed trees, and damaged crops as it smashed parts of the Darling Downs.[185] The tornado struck at about 7.30pm on Wednesday, 23 December 2015.[186] Although the supercell thunderstorm and tornado produced significant damage, no injuries were reported.[187] | F1 | |
| Mid North and Flinders Ranges Tornado Outbreak | 28 September 2016 | South Australia | 7 | 0 | On the afternoon of 28 September 2016, supercell thunderstorms developed across the Mid North and Flinders Ranges region with seven confirmed tornadoes. At approximately 2:50pm, there were reports, including photographic confirmation, of a tornado near Port Broughton. At approximately 3:30pm, there was damage consistent with a tornado at Crystal Brook, with significant damage to sheds and sporting facilities. From approximately 3:35-3:50pm, a tornado (F2) tracked 19km (12miles) from the northwest of Blyth to the southeast, passing through the western edge of the town, leading to significant damage to a number of houses and the church. Two high-voltage power transmission towers were also downed. From 3:35-4:00pm, a tornado (F2) began near Survey Road, south of Melrose, then tracked for 23km (14miles) across farmland to the southeast, affecting native vegetation and farm equipment. From 3:45-4:05pm a tornado (F2) tracked approximately 30km (20miles) from the southern portion of Wilmington township, across farmland, to north of Booleroo Centre. Significant damage to sheds and farm equipment as well as the Wilmington Caravan Park was observed. At least one caravan was overturned and five high-voltage power transmission towers were downed. At approximately 4:00pm, two further tornadoes occurred at Andrews (north of Clare) and south of Mintaro (F1). The Andrews tornado also impacted a farm leading to damage to farm equipment.[188] [189] The Wilmington and Blyth tornadoes impacted on three separate high-voltage power lines, two southeast of Wilmington and one southeast of Blyth, causing multiple transmission tower failures, initiating a series of events on the power network that lead to a statewide blackout across South Australia.[190] | F2 & F1 | |
| Broken Hill Tornado | 11 November 2016 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | A tornado hit Broken Hill during major thunder storm. The only report of damage was a roof being ripped off of a home. | F0 | |
| Bentleigh Tornado | 19 February 2017 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | A tornado confirmed by Bureau of Meteorology formed during a storm, touching the ground at Bentleigh East, causing tiles to be removed from roofs. The funnel was photographed and observed by some to be "the width of a house."[191] | ||
| Brisbane Airport Tornado | 17 March 2017 | Brisbane, Queensland | 3 | 0 | This tornado (described by the media as a 'dust devil'), which was associated with a storm cell, was filmed crossing Brisbane Airport runways by witnesses, airport cameras, and a farm machinery operator filmed inside the eye. In the same storm cell, two waterspouts were filmed in Moreton Bay. Meteorologists confirmed a tornado, but no major damage occurred.[192] | ||
| Scarborough Waterspout | 22 July 2017 | Western Australia | Waterspout | 0 | A waterspout reported in Scarborough. made landfall with minor destruction. | F0 | |
| Perth Tornado | 31 July 2017 | Western Australia | 1 | 0 | The passage of a strong cold front produced a tornado in the Perth's north in the morning on 31 July 2017. The tornado moved through northern suburbs of Sorrento, Duncraig, Warwick, Hamersley and Balga, causing trees down and building damage. | F0 | |
| River Heads Tornado | 1 October 2017 | Bundaberg, Queensland | 1 | 0 | Tornado filmed at River Heads on Fraser Coast near Bundaberg left a 500m (1,600feet) path of destruction, demolishing a house and a few sheds, uprooting trees, and causing significant damage to fences and roads. The cell moved at more than 80km/h according to meteorology reports.[193] | ||
| Darling Downs Tornado | 26 December 2017 | Kingaroy, Queensland | 1 | 0 | A destructive tornado associated with a supercell tore roofs of homes in several towns across the Darling Downs on Boxing Day.[194] | ||
| Tansey and Coolabunia Tornadoes | 12 October 2018 | Tansey and Coolabunia, Queensland | 2 | Several injured, at least 3 hospitalised | Two tornadoes and large hail associated with a destructive super cell hit the towns of Tansey and Coolabunia in south-east Queensland at approximately 3pm on 12 October 2018. The tornadoes ripped roofs off houses, destroyed crops, uprooted trees and injured several people with at least 3 being hospitalised.[195] [196] | ||
| Axe Creek Tornado | 29 June 2019 | Victoria | 1 | 1 injured | A strong tornado associated with a cold front destroyed a single-story double-brick house in Axe Creek at approximately 4:30pm. An occupant of the house received a minor injury.[197] [198] | F2 | |
| Peechelba Tornado | 6 September 2019 | Victoria | 1 | Many livestock killed | A tornado caused property damage and loss of livestock at the town of Peechelba in Northern Victoria.[199] [200] | F1 |
| Tornado event | Date | Area | Tornadoes | Casualties | Notes | Intensity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waurn Ponds Tornado | 20 May 2020 | Victoria | 1 | 1 injured | A tornado passed through Waurn Ponds, Grovedale, Mount Duneed and Armstrong Creek on 20 May 2020, damaging at least 60 homes.[201] [202] | F1 | |
| Horsham Tornado | 7 December 2020 | Victoria | 1 | 0 | Northern parts of Horsham were impacted by a tornado, damaging 70 houses.[203] [204] | F1 | |
| Chester Hill Tornado | 20 March 2021 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | In Chester Hill, a suburb in western Sydney, a small tornado damaged homes and toppled trees, leaving thousands without electricity.[205] | F1 | |
| Bathurst Tornado | 30 September 2021 | New South Wales | 1 | 3 injured | A tornado formed from a huge front which travelled across Eastern Australia. This tornado formed in Bathurst just after 2:00PM from a dangerous supercell created from the front. The tornado travelled 30km (20miles) from Clear Creek to Meadow Flat, and caused 11 homes to be damaged or destroyed.[206] | EF3 | |
| Armidale Tornado | 14 October 2021 | New South Wales | 1 | unknown | A tornado that formed after a strong supercell crossed over Armidale caused considerable damage to houses, as well as overturned cars and uprooted some trees. This storm left many without power.[207] | F2 | |
| Blue Haven Tornado | 7 December 2021 | New South Wales | 1 | unknown | A tornado that crossed Doyalson Link Road, picking up debris along its path.[208] | F1 | |
| Bombala Tornado | 15 January 2022 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 Fatalities | A tornado touched down in the town of Bombala. Roofs and sheds were damaged with scattered debris across the town, witnessed by many locals and filmed by one. The tornado left a trail of destruction through a Pokolbin winery.[209] | EF2 | |
| Gold Coast Tornado | 25 December 2023 | Queensland | 2 | 1 killed[210] | A tornado passed through the Scenic Rim, parts of the southern Logan Shire and northern Gold Coast. A woman was killed when a tree fell on her car in Helensvale.[211] It reached wind speeds of over, classifying it as an EF2 tornado. Almost all mature aged trees were uprooted and many houses were destroyed on the Northern Gold Coast. | F2 | |
| Southern Bunbury Tornado | 10 May 2024 | Western Australia | 1 | 2 injured | At around 4:00pm, a tornado formed on the coast of Bunbury near Mindalong Beach and passed through the suburbs of South Bunbury, Withers, and College Grove,with the 60 metre wide tornado reaching wind speeds of over 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph).[212] [213] The tornado lasted 4 minutes and struck places such as the Bunbury PCYC, which partially collapsed, causing an injury, and the Bunbury Regional Prison, which had the roofs of multiple buildings torn off. In total, more than 220 buildings were damaged, with 16 severely damaged and 9 ruled uninhabitable.[214] | EF1 |
The following is a chart showing Australia tornadoes by month or by time period.