'TAIL-END OF A WILLY-WILLY.'

The West Australian, 4 April, 1912

THE STORM AT PORT HEDLAND.

CONDITIONS OH MARCH 20.

CAPTAIN ALLEN'S FEARS.

Port Hedland, April 3.

As if to palliate the tedium of the scorching, 

enervating heat Port Hedland was visited 

on March 20 with the tail-end of a

willy-willy which coming with equinoctial

tides, did a fair amount of damage. It was

fairly certain that had it been a full willy-

willy it would have spelt disaster to the low

lands of Hedland. 

Confirming that Port Hedland was only subjected to the outer fringe of the cyclone - centre 50+ miles away in the vicinity of Balla Balla. Note that the excessive heat was a precursor to cyclonic activity. 

It started on Tuesday night with a strong 

easterly wind, and the waves thundered on 

the beach with indications of heavier and 

deadlier surges out at sea. 

It simply cannot be argued that those at Port Hedland were unaware of a cyclonic system in the region prior to 20 March (Wednesday).

Wednesday morning saw about forty

luggers running to shelter off Port Hedland,

where they were soon safely anchored. These

luggers had a rough time on Tuesday night

near Turtle Island, and the cutting away of

masts in some cases was seriously 

contemplated. The wind increased its velocity, 

and it continued for three days and nights. The

waves surged up the harbour's entrance, and

the breakers crashed into the sandy Esplanade, 

and washed thousands of tons of it away.

Confirmation of physical warnings.

Captain Allen, of the Koombana, seemed

disinclined to go out, and when he decided

to do so he said, "I am going straight out to

sea, and will be lucky if I get to Broome on

Saturday." She left the port at half-past

10 o'clock on March 20 with propeller 

beating out of the water. When passing 

the entrance to the harbour she rolled 

deeply. 

Consistent with the ground swell out at sea and very light condition.

Captain Allen stated that he would fill the 

ballast tanks when he crossed the outer bank.

The ship headed due north, and was followed 

about an hour afterwards by the Bullarra

going south.

It took more than 2 hours to 'fill' the ballast tanks. In this report Bullarra followed an hour later (incorrect).

The damage done to the railway line on

the Causeway will cost a good deal to repair. 

The Esplanade suffered most, being washed 

away to the allotment boundaries in several 

places; in fact, the Esplanade has disappeared, 

and in its place we now have a sloping sandy 

beach from the rear of the Resident Magistrate's 

residence right round to the jetty. The light tower 

and oil house were undermined, while the roadway 

connected with the town bridge was rendered

unsafe for vehicular traffic. One lugger in port 

anchored too far in the stream, and drifted onto 

rocks. She was only slightly damaged. The 

schooner Alto was also damaged at the jetty.

Damage sustained at Port Hedland related to the storm surge and rain rather than hurricane-force winds.

It was a left-handed circular cyclone, and

from the directions of the wind it is certain

that the Koombana could not possibly have

avoided getting right into the centre. 

The centre of the cyclone was to the southwest of Port Hedland, whereas Koombana was headed northeast. This is not saying much about her 3,000 ihp!

The Koombana would be abeam Bedout at 4

p.m. on Wednesday, but out of course to the

south. 

Speculation: meaning Koombana would have been averaging 11.75 knots. Captain Allen had said that it was unlikely he would make Broome by the spring tide the following day, implying that he was anticipating less than 10.5 knots (strong headwind) and delays filling tanks. Out of course to the south of Bedout Island is strange - if anything, with a prevailing NE gale, out of course to the west makes more sense.

The wind was then blowing from

the east, but at 10 p.m. it changed from 

east to east north-east, and back in quick 

succession. At 10 a.m. on Thursday it was 

still blowing from the east, at noon east-north-east, 

and at 1 p.m. in the same direction. 

Confirmation that the cyclone stalled when it hit land (Balla Balla), but did not lose intensity.

It shifted at 2 p.m. to north-east, and 

remained in that direction till 6 p.m.. At 

10 p.m. it was blowing north-north-east, 

and at midnight it was north. 

Finally the system moved southeastward inland towards Marble Bar.

When Hedland got the worst of the hurricane 

on the 22nd, the wind was from the north-north-west 

from 4 a.m. till noon.

Three days later, and when Koombana was long gone to a watery grave.

The general congratulations possessing

people's minds on having escaped the full

force of the willy-willy in Hedland on top

of the equinoctial tides gave place to feelings

of horror when the tidings came that the

Koombana and all aboard were lost.

There must surely have been those who wondered why Koombana foundered steaming steadily away from the cyclone rather than into it, and, with this in mind, why the aging Bullarra escaped intact after steaming directly into the heart of the cyclone?

Courtesy Trove.