["A Blow at Port Hedland", The Hedland Advocate (Port Hedland, WA), Saturday 23 March 1912, page 5]

A Blow at Port Hedland

Esplanade Washed Away

Railway and Telegraph Lines Damaged

Wrecks Reported

As if to palliate the tedium of the scorching, enervating heat, Hedland was visited this week by a cross-bred willy-willy, which, coming with the equinoctal tides, did a fair amount of damage. It is pretty certain that had it been a full-blooded willy it would have spelt disaster to the lowlands of Hedland.

It started on Tuesday night, with a strong easterly wind whistling and roaring, and the sea thundering and crumbling on the beach, indicative of heavier and deadlier surges out at sea.

Wednesday morning saw about 40 luggers running to the shelter of Port Hedland, where they were soon safely anchored, with bowsprits swinging up and down in salutation to the dip and rise of each other. These luggers had a rough time on Tuesday night, near Turtle Island, the cutting away of masts on some being seriously contemplated.

As if waiting for the luggers to gain the port, the wind immediately increased its velocity, and for three days and nights its moan completely drowned the staccato ticking of all household clocks. The cannon-like blasts lifted the wet sand and smote those who ventured abroad in the face of it, like pellets from a pea-rifle.

Resembling titanic fleeces of wool the waves surged up the harbor's entrance, and the breakers crashed into the sandy esplande[sic] and washed thousands of tons of it away as if it were composed of the sugar combine's chief asset.

On Thursday night the wind shifted from the east to north-north-west, retaining its velocity until noon on Friday, when it moderated. The wind was still in that quarter when this page was sent to press on Friday evening.

During the first two days three nights of the storm only 3in. of rain fell in Hedland.

The telegraph line was blown across the railway line at the big causeway, and delayed the arrival of the Bar train on Thursday. A large number of poles have been rendered useless, and it cannot be said with any degree of certainty when communication with the outside world will be restored.

The damage done to the railway on the causeway will cost a good deal to repair.

The Esplanade suffered most, being washed away to the allotment boundaries in several places, in fact the Esplanade has disappeared, and in its place we now have a sloping, sandy beach from near the R.M.'s residence right round to the jetty.

The light-tower and oil-house were undermined, while the roadway connected with the town bridge was rendered unsafe for vehicular traffic.

The Pier Hotel and property further north-west were swamped, the sea water washing up to near the back lane. The cellar of the hotel was flooded to the floor, and the outlook from the Pier verandah on Friday morning was extremely distressing. Small wonder that the Government has been anathematised for putting off the protection of the foreshore for so long. To make a complete job of it now over £10,000 will have to be expended.

The schooner Alto, moored to the north side of the new jetty (preparatory to sailing for Fremantle), broke loose on Thursday night, smashed railings on the jetty, and had damages done to her which must delay her departure indefinitely.

One lugger in port, anchored too far in the stream, drifted upon a reef, but floated off with little damage.

Before the interruption of the telegraph line, it was reported that one lugger was wrecked off La Grange, one off Condon, and two down Cossack way.

Several small boats belonging to townspeople were wrecked.

The rain did an amount of damage in most local business places, and is also responsible for the publication of this paper being a day later than usual.