Western Australia’s south west is recovering after the strongest weather system to hit the region in 49 years caused widespread damage across Perth, Bunbury, Busselton and nearby coastal communities. Cyclone-strength winds, heavy rain, flooding and high tides tore roofs from buildings, brought down trees and power lines, and worsened coastal erosion during the WA Day long weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the system was the most powerful to strike the state’s south-west in almost five decades. Wind gusts reached 135 kilometres per hour at Cape Naturaliste, with other record May gusts recorded at Busselton Jetty, Garden Island, Mandurah and Dwellingup. Officials said the Cape Naturaliste reading was approaching category 2 cyclone strength, highlighting the severity of the storm. Perth absorbed much of the damage, while communities across the south-west also faced dangerous conditions.
Emergency services received hundreds of calls for help, with the State Emergency Service reporting more than 800 requests for assistance. Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson described the storm as one of the most powerful systems seen in decades. Around 160,000 households lost power at least once during the wild weather, and thousands were still without electricity by Monday evening as Western Power worked to restore supply. Fallen poles, downed lines and debris left many roads hazardous, prompting warnings for motorists to take care.
The storm caused major structural damage in several suburbs. In Greenwood, a tree fell on a house and crushed a car, while SES crews worked to remove debris and repair the roof. In South Bunbury, an apartment block suffered severe damage when roofing was ripped off and windows were smashed. In Cottesloe, part of another apartment building’s roof was torn away, with material scattered across nearby properties. Homes in Thornlie and Peppermint Grove were also damaged by fallen trees, and residents in nearby areas were told to stay indoors while strong winds continued overnight.
In the south-west, two people narrowly avoided injury when a tree fell onto their car on a major highway. Large trees also blocked roads in Brunswick and other parts of the region, adding to disruption for long weekend travellers heading back to Perth. Authorities warned people to avoid damaged buildings, fallen trees and powerlines even as conditions began to ease.
The storm also intensified beach erosion at Port Beach near Fremantle and at Lancelin on the Mid West coast. Sand dunes were stripped away, fences were torn up and coastal infrastructure was left increasingly exposed. Local business owners in Lancelin said the shoreline had retreated dramatically over the past year, with the latest storms accelerating the loss of sand.
Air travel was also disrupted, with four flights diverted from Perth Airport to Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport overnight because of strong winds. Services affected included flights from Bali, Sydney and Brisbane. The Bureau of Meteorology said the intense low-pressure system was moving east along the southern coast, and warnings for large parts of the state were cancelled later on Monday after the system moved into the Great Australian Bight.
