# Cyclone Leonta

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Not to be confused with [Cyclone Leon](/source/Cyclone_Leon).

**Cyclone Leonta** was a [tropical cyclone](/source/Tropical_cyclone) that caused severe damage in [North Queensland](/source/North_Queensland) on 9 March 1903. It lasted for around twelve hours, and was the most damaging cyclone ever to hit [Townsville](/source/Townsville) at that time, surpassing [Cyclone Sigma](/source/Cyclone_Sigma) of 1896, with approximately 14 lives lost (12 in Townsville and 2 in [Charters Towers](/source/Charters_Towers)).[1][2] It caused approximately £250,000 damage in 1903 terms.[3]

It destroyed the [Townsville General Hospital](/source/Townsville_General_Hospital), with several of the lives lost being in the building's collapse, and [Townsville Grammar School](/source/Townsville_Grammar_School). It tore the roof off [St James Cathedral](/source/St_James'_Cathedral,_Townsville) and [Sacred Heart Cathedral](/source/Sacred_Heart_Cathedral,_Townsville) and severely damaged the [Townsville School of Arts](/source/Townsville_School_of_Arts) and [Queen's Hotel](/source/Queen's_Hotel,_Townsville).[4] In Townsville, it was reported that "seven out of every 10 houses between Castle Hill and Eyre St [were] either missing or seriously damaged".[5] Three Methodist churches were destroyed in Townsville and surrounds alone, with the Baptist and Chinese churches also demolished.[3][6][7][8][9][10] The T. Whalley & Sons stores and offices, formerly the Norman Hall, and nearby Burns Philp & Co. bulk produce store were completely destroyed.[6]

In [Bowen](/source/Bowen,_Queensland), many houses were damaged or destroyed, with widespread damage to public and commercial buildings. The [Bowen railway station](/source/Bowen_railway_station) saw most of its buildings unroofed, the Burns Philp & Co. store, Drill Shed and municipal baths were destroyed, with many shops and hotels losing verandahs or roofs.[11]

In the town of [Ayr](/source/Ayr,_Queensland), most of the buildings were either destroyed or lost their roofs; the [Shire of Burdekin](/source/Shire_of_Burdekin) describes both Ayr and [Brandon](/source/Brandon,_Queensland) as having been "substantially demolished" by the cyclone. Both the historic [Burdekin Shire Council Chambers](/source/Burdekin_Shire_Council_Chambers) and [Ayr Court House](/source/Ayr_Court_House) suffered major damage.[12][13]

On [Magnetic Island](/source/Magnetic_Island), the first [Picnic Bay Jetty](/source/Picnic_Bay_Jetty) was significantly damaged by the cyclone, necessitating its eventual replacement.[14]

The cyclone was named by notable meteorologist [Clement Lindley Wragge](/source/Clement_Lindley_Wragge).[6]

## References

1. ["History of Townsville Metereological Office"](http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/townsville/history.shtml). Bureau of Metereology. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["Cyclone Leonta – Harden Up - Protecting Queensland"](http://hardenup.org/be-aware/weather-events/events/1900-1909/cyclone-leonta-1903-03-09.aspx). *hardenup.org*. Retrieved 17 January 2016.

1. ["Cyclone Leonta"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023826/https://www.emknowledge.gov.au/resource/474/1903/cyclone-leonta-queensland-1903). Australian Emergency Management Knowledge Hub. Archived from [the original](https://www.emknowledge.gov.au/resource/474/1903/cyclone-leonta-queensland-1903) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["TOWNSVILLE."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21810941). *[The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939)](/source/The_Queenslander)*. Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 28 March 1903. p. 700 Supplement: Unknown. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["North Ward laid low as Leonta lashes out"](http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsville-150/north-ward-laid-low-as-leonta-lashes-out/story-fnr9e7xb-1227268199928). *Townsville Bulletin*. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["LEONTA CYCLONE."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60732364). *[Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954)](/source/Townsville_Bulletin)*. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 9 March 1927. p. 5. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["Townsville Cyclone "Leonta."."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159355686). *[The Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 1954)](/source/Uniting_(newspaper))*. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 28 March 1903. p. 10. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["Memories of Cyclone Leonta"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111904/http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2013/03/memories-of-cyclone-leonta-.html?site=northqld&program=north_queensland_mornings). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from [the original](http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2013/03/memories-of-cyclone-leonta-.html?site=northqld&program=north_queensland_mornings) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["10 March 2014 - 111 years since Cyclone Leonta destroyed Grammar"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305091425/http://www.tgs.qld.edu.au/news_main.php?newsid=345). Townsville Grammar School. Archived from [the original](http://www.tgs.qld.edu.au/news_main.php?newsid=345) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["St James Cathedral Appeal"](http://www.anglicannq.org/about-us/st-james-cathedral-appeal). Anglican Diocese of North Queensland. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["The CYCLONE LEONTA."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196548280). *[Bowen Independent (Qld. : 1911 - 1954)](/source/Bowen_Independent)*. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 13 February 1932. p. 1. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["Ayr"](http://queenslandplaces.com.au/ayr). *Queensland Places*. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["History of the Burdekin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120404010057/http://www.burdekin.qld.gov.au/about/burdekin-history-and-heritage/history-of-the-burdekin/). Shire of Burdekin. Archived from [the original](http://www.burdekin.qld.gov.au/about/burdekin-history-and-heritage/history-of-the-burdekin/) on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

1. ["Picnic Bay Jetty"](https://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=602231). *Queensland Heritage Register*. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cyclone Leonta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Leonta) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Leonta?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.