List of Australian region cyclones before 1940
The following is a list of Australian region tropical cyclones in or before 1940.
Pre-1900
- February 1568 – During February 1568, two ships which were sailing near the Solomon Islands, were driven southwards for six days by a tropical cyclone after they avoided being shipwrecked on a reef.
- April 1778 – A tropical cyclone impacted Indonesia's Banda Islands, where most of the houses were unroofed and 85% of nutmeg trees were destroyed.
- 1788 – A tropical cyclone destroyed two ships that had been sailing between Sydney and the Solomon Islands, under the command of Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse. Most of the crew drowned, however, a number of them lived onshore for several years.
- 1811 – A tropical cyclone impacted Indonesia's Banda Islands.
- 1820 – A tropical cyclone impacted the Solomon Islands in or around 1820.
- December 1840 – A tropical cyclone impacted Papua New Guinea.
- April 1841 – A tropical cyclone impacted hit the Indonesian island of Roti, where it killed 75 people and destroyed numerous houses.
- 1855 - In or around 1855 a tropical cyclone impacted Indonesia's Kei Islands where numerous trees were uprooted.
Unnamed tropical cyclone (1872)
Unnamed tropical cyclone (1875)
On 24 December 1875, a total of 59 lives were lost at sea when the eye of a cyclone passed over Exmouth Gulf. Several schooners were driven ashore and wrecked.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1880)
On 9 January 1880 a cyclone passed near Yammadery Creek, between Onslow, Western Australia and Fortescue River, where the tidal surge was eight metres over the high-water mark. The Adalia was wrecked near Robe River and some of the crew drowned.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1882)
On 7 March 1882 a severe cyclone passed Roebourne and Cossack in the evening causing damage to every building in the settlements. Cossack recorded a minimum pressure of 942 hPa. Despite the extensive loss of sheep from surrounding stations it was considered fortunate that only one person suffered an injury.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1884)
On 30 January 1884 a severe cyclone hit Bowen in Queensland causing damage to every building in the settlement and loss of the jetty and all boats and all communication.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1887)
On 22 April 1887, a cyclone struck the pearling fleet at Ninety Mile Beach near Broome claiming 140 lives. The storm was unexpected, since it was so late in the season.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1889)
On 1 March 1889 flooding was considerable at Cossack where a cyclone coincided with high tide. All crew aboard the Waratah were lost off Cape Preston and one man drowned in the river at Roebourne.Unnamed tropical cyclones (1894)
On 4 January 1894 and 9 January 1894 – Within the space of five days two cyclones crossed the Pilbara coast. The first caused damage to many buildings at Roebourne and Cossack. The second cyclone caused more significant damage to the area completely washing away the previously damaged sea wall at Cossack. Over forty lives were believed to have been lost as twelve luggers and the steamer Anne were destroyed. Altogether the damage was estimated at 15000 pounds and the loss of some 15000 sheep. Flooding was also substantial.Cyclone Sigma (1896)
Cyclone Sigma was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in North Queensland, Australia on 26–27 January 1896. Overall 23 people died in the cyclone with 3 missing.Cyclone Eline (1898)
In January 1898, Cyclone Eline made landfall near Mackay, Queensland. The Cremorne Hotel in northern Mackay sustained damage, as well as the Methodist church on Gregory Street.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1898)
On 2 April 1898 a cyclone was described as causing more damage at Cossack than had ever been experienced before. Tramway, rails, road and bridges were destroyed and telegraph line downed. Houses collapsed and all boats slipped their moorings. The damage was estimated at over 30000 pounds. Whim Creek registered 747 mm of rain in 24 hours, the highest daily rainfall ever recorded in Western Australia.Severe Tropical Cyclone Mahina (1899)
Upon making landfall in Queensland as an extremely powerful Category 5 severe tropical cyclone on March 4, 1899, Severe Tropical Cyclone Mahina produced a 40-foot storm surge, the highest ever recorded. The flooding killed 400–410 people, making it the deadliest cyclone in Australian history.1900s
Cyclone Leonta
Cyclone Leonta was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in North Queensland on 9 March 1903, with approximately 14 lives lost.Unnamed tropical cyclone near Ninety Mile Beach (1908)
On 27 April 1908, the pearling fleet at Ninety Mile Beach experienced the full force of a storm. The loss of life exceeded 50 persons.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1909)
Following a cyclone at Onslow, Western Australia in January 1909 a second storm hit the town on 5 to 6 April 1909 causing damage to most boats and some buildings. Four luggers with all 24 of their crew were lost.Cyclone 1 (1910)
A cyclone hit Queensland, Australia near the city of Cairns.Unnamed tropical cyclone (1910)
On 19 November 1910 the eye of a cyclone passed directly over Broome, where there was much damage. Twenty six boats of the pearling fleet were sunk and 40 lives were lost.Severe Tropical Cyclone "Mackay" (1918)
A powerful tropical cyclone made landfall in Mackay, Queensland, as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale. It was only the second system to make landfall in Queensland at this intensity on record.Severe Tropical Cyclone "Innisfail" (1918)
A powerful tropical cyclone made landfall in Innisfail, Queensland, as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale. It was only the third system to make landfall in Queensland at this intensity on record.1920–21 to 1930–31 cyclone seasons
Unnamed tropical cyclone (1923)
This cyclone developed on 21 March 1923 east of Cape York and then devastated the normally cyclone free Torres Strait Islands. It then moved over the Gulf of Carpentaria where 20 lives were lost after the Douglas Mawson sank. The cyclone decayed around 2 April.Unnamed tropical cyclone near Roebourne (1925)
After this cyclone on 21 January 1925 near Roebourne, Western Australia only a very small portion of the land end of the Point Samson jetty was left intact. Almost 5 km of the tramline was washed away and the Pope's Nose Creek bridge was badly damaged.At Cossack the sea in the creek rose 7.2 m, covering the road and surrounding country for about a mile. Seven luggers and a schooner which had sheltered in Cossack Creek were lifted 100 m into the mangroves by the storm surge.
Not a building was left unscathed in Roebourne. Residents sheltered in more substantial stone buildings as the timber houses were razed. The Jubilee Hotel was unroofed and the other two hotels badly damaged.
Unnamed tropical cyclone near Yamdena (1925)
In April, a tropical cyclone destroyed most houses in Yamdena. 10 people were killed on the island of Selaru, along with destruction of plantations, damage to houses, and palm trees being blown over.1930–31 to 1940–41 cyclone seasons
Unnamed tropical cyclone near Cairns (1934)
On March 12, 1934, a powerful cyclone crossed the coast of Far North Queensland at Cape Tribulation. A pearling fleet was decimated by the system, resulting in the loss of 75 lives. The towns of Daintree and Mossman suffered extensive damage, with damage to vegetation reported in Cairns.Unnamed tropical cyclone near Broome (1935)
This is Australia's second deadliest cyclone in the 20th century. The Lacepede Islands near Broome were struck sinking 21 pearling luggers with 141 lives lost.Unnamed tropical cyclone near Roebourne (1939)
Nine people died on 11 January 1939 with the loss of the Nicol Bay, on a holiday cruise to the Ashburton River. Some properties in Roebourne, Western Australia sustained damage.1939-40
- February 4 – 18, 1940 – A tropical cyclone developed to the west of Tuvalu and moved south – southwest through the islands of Vanuatu. The system subsequently passed to the north of New Caledonia and moved north – westwards into the Australian region where it made landfall near Cardwell, Queensland during February 18.
- March 6, 1940 – A tropical cyclone made landfall on Queensland to the north of Cooktown.
- March 17, 1940 – A tropical cyclone made landfall on Queensland near Mackay.
- March 23 – 24, 1940 – A tropical cyclone made landfall on the Cape York Peninsula, before it moved across the Gulf of Carpentaria from the Edward River to Port Roper.
- April 7, 1940 – A tropical cyclone made landfall on Queensland near Townsville.