An unusual east coast low created the worst flooding since 1954 in the Clarence Valley, on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Here the river has burst its banks and spilled beyond into the surrounding low country in the vicinity of Lawrence.
Sugar cane is shown as green vegetation along the edge of the river.
What began with awesome surf on Queensland's Gold Coast ended in disaster for dairy farmers along the banks of the Macleay River further south. While the storm was every bit a category one cyclone when it crossed the beaches south of the NSW- Queensland border, it didn't start out that way. As a result, its impact bewildered residents not used to this sort of weather. The low formed in classic 'ex-tropical' fashion with a little help from the jet stream, creating spinning winds at mid levels which then spiraled downwards to the surface. Winds at the surface were powerful indeed and the fetch extensive for the Tasman.