Cyclone Ului stirs up swell

Surfer Murray Galea checks out the waves at Nielsons Beach.

Scottie Simmonds

WHILE further north the coast was being lashed with winds from ex-Tropical Cyclone Ului, Bargara’s surfers were making the most of the larger than usual gusts.

Spray painter Murray Galea spent his weekend at the beach checking out the surf but was not impressed by Ului’s efforts.

“It’s been better this weekend because of the cyclone, but it is still not too good,” he said.

“I had expected bigger waves.”

But at lunchtime yesterday, the surfers were almost the only people brave enough to enter the choppy surf.

Bundaberg father Darren Ey took his two boys to the beach for some boogie boarding, but soon realised the surf was too dangerous.

Instead Cody and Leyton amused themselves by using their boogie boards to slide down the dunes.

“It has been about what I expected. I thought there might have been a few more people down here, though,” Mr Ey said.

Surf Life Saving Queensland regional manager Craig Holden said the Moore Park, Elliott Heads and Agnes Water beaches had been closed.

“The conditions aren’t really that bad in some areas,” Mr Holden said.

“Reports I’ve got say that not all that many people are heading down to the beaches.”

In Gin Gin, the Gateway Festival had to be postponed due to the rain.

“All the stall holders, the parade, everything had to be cancelled,” festival organiser Margrit Radburn said.

The festival will now be held on April 18.

Ms Radburn said the committee would work tirelessly to ensure everything was prepared for the new day.

“It took us 12 months to organise today and we’ve only got a few weeks to organise the change in date,” she said.

Ms Radburn said there would be no change to the festival’s program.

Bundaberg recorded a little over 13mm of rain over the weekend while Lady Elliot Island recorded just over 2mm.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Chris Joseph said over the weekend the highest wind speed recorded in Bundaberg was about 52kmh.

Lady Elliot Island recorded wind speeds of about 70kmh.

“It has all eased off and we are not expecting any stronger winds in the Bundaberg area,” he said.

Mr Joseph said the winds would remain in the area for about a week.

While the winds are expected to stay, he said the showers should now start to ease.

Bundaberg State Emergency Service local controller Bill Daniels said there had been no calls for help in Bundaberg over the weekend.

“We have put teams together ready to go north if needed,” he said.