CAPTAIN M'KENZIE - MOST UNUSUAL STORM.

The Brisbane Courier, Thursday 6 April, 1911.

CAPTAIN M'KENZIE'S.VIEWS

MOST UNUSUAL STORM.

THE TRACK OF THE CYCLONE.

CAIRNS, April 5.

Captain M'Kenzie, of the steamer 

Innamincka, after being apprised of the latest

news concerning the Yongala said in the

course of an interview: "The cyclone

which probably struck the Yongala was a

most unusual one. When that occurs no

commander, no matter what his experience

has been, can say his judgment is correct.

This cyclone was the reverse of what

we have had for years. It worked from

the S.E. to south, then from south-west

to west. As a rule they work from the

south-east round eastwards. You cannot

realise what it is. Such a cyclone has

been known before, but it has never come

within my experience. The last few

months have been very trying ones on

the Queensland coast, and the Yongala,

Cooma, and Innamincka have been in the

track of every disturbance during that time."

Captain M'Kenzie further stated that

between Cape Upstart and Cape Bowling

Green there was now visible in the bush

the track of the awful southwest tornado,

which it is believed drove the Yongala

into Broadhurst Reef. For a width of

15 miles a track has been cut in the forest,

the whole of the trees, including many 

immense ones, being torn out by the 

roots and levelled. Captain M'Kenzie's 

observations regarding this evidence of 

the cyclone s track corroborate the 

statements regarding the direction of 

the blow, which contrary to the recognised 

order of cyclonic blows, blew from the 

south west, thus practically reversing the 

order of nature. This is his reason for stating 

any captain would have been taken by surprise 

by such an untoward event, and instead of 

running out of the storm, would be running right

into it.

There is absolutely no doubt that the so-called cyclone was anything but 'standard issue' and should not be referred to as such in historical records. There are none so poignant words as 'instead of running out of the storm, would be running right into it'.

The only system I can think of, with very limited experience in these matters, is a hybrid cyclone which would, as Captain Mackenzie described, have been predominated by a swathe of gale force winds from the southeast and southwest extending down the coast from the vortex. 

As an alternative one could consider a 'south-east change' which would have presented as a northward propagating south-east change. But would this have created a 'tornado-effect' cutting trees down in a 15 mile track as described? I doubt it.

No, I think I will stick with a hybrid cyclone.

But perhaps what is more important than semantics is that Captain Knight's judgment was not in question. His reputation, redeemed.

'The arrival time of a south-east change in southeast Queensland is often critical to the development of thunderstorms, with greater heat and instability making the latter part of the afternoon most favourable for thunderstorm development. The over-land section of a south-east change will often merge with the inland trough. The near-coastal section is modified and turned north by the prominent coast of southeast Australia and by the Great Dividing Range, reaching the Queensland coast as a northward propagating south-east (sometimes southerly) change.'

http://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/blocks/research-and-development/qld-climate-drivers.pdf