Babinda, Queensland

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Babinda
state = qld


caption = Babinda, taken on a rainy day.
lga = Cairns
postcode = 4861
est =
pop = 1,176
elevation=
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Mulgrave
fedgov = Kennedy
dist1 = 1649
dir1 = NW
location1= Brisbane
dist2 = 60
dir2 = S
location2= Cairns
dist3 = 30
dir3 = N
location3= Innisfail

Babinda is a small town located 60 km south of Cairns and 1649 km north-west of Brisbane in the Australian state of Queensland. At the 2001 census, Babinda had a population of 1,176.Census 2001 AUS|id=UCL302600
name = Babinda (Urban Centre/Locality)
quick = on
accessdate = 2007-06-19] Situated on the Bruce Highway, the town is noted for its proximity to two of Queensland's highest mountains Mount Bartle Frere (1622 metres) and Mount Bellenden Ker (1593 metres). Babinda and Tully annually compete for the Golden Gumboot, an award for Australia's wettest town. Babinda is usually the winner, recording an annual rainfall of over 4200 millimetres each year.

Cyclone Larry

Babinda was hit hard by Cyclone Larry in March 2006. The category five (Australian scale) storm damaged 80% of the town's buildings, including the town's historic movie theatre and iconic coffee shop "Yum Yum's". Sugar cane crops and banana plantations in the region were decimated. At least twenty homes were completely obliterated down to their concrete foundations, their debris causing significant damage to other buildings. Vegetation, often full-sized tree trunks weighing some one to two tons, were ripped from nearby forest and flung into buildings by the winds. Severe landslides caused by rain also devastated the slopes of the Bellenden Ker mountain range, blocking roads and contaminating the water supply for many weeks after the cyclone struck.

All but few houses, mainly those in the Babinda district are still undergoing repairs, nearly a year and half later.

References

External links

* [http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/ Cairns City Council]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/Queensland/Babinda/2005/02/17/1108500202085.html The Age newspaper article on Babinda]