Severe Weather Warning

We were planning to head over to Fraser Island today, but decided not to when we heard the lady at the ticket booth telling a whole gaggle of backpackers that the island was off limits due to impending bad weather, and that all campers and visitors were being kicked off... sorry ....evacuated. So we went elsewhere, swimming in between rain showers, dodging swooping kookaburras and grimacing over mediocre coffee. Went past the supermarket on the way home and everybody is buying up like it's the day before a long weekend - not to mention the line up and the petrol station. Hervey Bay is taking this weather stuff pretty seriously! Here's what the Bureau reckon:

A DANGEROUS SITUATION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ON FRIDAY AS A LOW MOVES TOWARDS THE SOUTH QUEENSLAND COASTLINE AND DEEPENS.

Destructive wind gusts to 130 km/h are expected to develop early on Friday between about Town of 1770 and the Sunshine Coast gradually extending southwards to the Gold Coast during the day. The combination of large ocean swells and the high tide Friday morning will produce water levels above the highest tide of the year between Fraser Island and the Sunshine Coast leading to some flooding of low lying areas close to the shoreline. People should also keep out of the water whilst these large ocean swell persist. Heavy rains are likely with some local flooding. People between Town of 1770 and Coolangatta should secure outside items, take any necessary precautions and listen to the next warning which will be issued at 8pm tonight.

The Age says similar things. Of course this means that the kite surfers are already having abundant fun, using all the wind to their advantage. Haven't seen any actual surfers yet, but have begun eyeing my surfboard....