Wild photos show impact zone of destructive category five cyclone sweeping through Australia: ‘Wiped out’
- Cyclone Ilsa destroyed Pardoo Roadhouse
- Owners estimate $4 million in damage
A popular roadhouse has been left unrecognizable after Cyclone Ilsa tore through Western Australia’s northwest coast.
The Pardoo Roadhouse and Tavern in the Pilbara region of the state are now looking at a $4 million bill to repair damage that will likely put them out of business for at least a year.
One of the roadside diner’s owners, Kelly Anne Martinez, shared an update on the company’s Facebook page on Friday, confirming that all staff were safe and well.
‘Pardoo Roadhouse is a family business and we are a close-knit team. This is not just where we work, this is our home and a community for nearby FIFO workers, truck drivers and of course travelers,” she wrote.
The Pardoo Roadhouse and tavern in the state’s Pilbara region is now eyeing a $4 million bill to repair damage from Cyclone Ilsa
While all staff are safe and sound, the roadhouse has been left unrecognizable
“We are all still a little shocked and emotional seeing the damage from Cyclone Ilsa. She may have wiped us out, but she can’t take our spirits away.
“We are facing a massive cleanup with reconstruction plans.”
Ms Martinez said while the company was insured, the team estimated the rebuild will cost more than $4 million.
The team is setting up a GoFundMe for those willing to donate to help get them back on their feet.
Photos of the trail of destruction left by Cyclone Ilsa late Thursday evening show the roof of the roadhouse completely ripped off.
The front of the roadhouse has been completely torn apart after Cyclone Ilsa
The roadhouse is a popular stop for travelers and truck drivers
Boxes of drinks were also smashed to the floor as pieces of torn ceiling were scattered across the floor.
One of the glass doors remained shattered while the dining area was covered with pieces of the roof that had fallen through.
The front of the roadhouse was completely blown away, but the drinks fridge managed to escape largely unscathed.
One of the owners, Will Batth, said he was “lucky to be alive” when the cyclone hit late Thursday night.
The Pardoo Roadhouse was destroyed by the cyclone on Thursday night
One of the glass doors shattered during the storm
“It was four hours of hell,” he said ABC Radio Perth.
Mr Batth and a colleague managed to flee the roadhouse in a shipping container, but had to fight the raging winds to get inside.
“We’ve survived Category One and Category Two storms, but this one was next level,” he said.
“There will be months of cleaning and five or six years of financial burden if we manage to open it, which we can’t say at this point whether it will be this year or next year.
“It feels like we’ve lost a baby.”
The team has been inundated with messages of support with Ms Martinez promising to respond to every message.
The cyclone hit the northwest coast of WA around midnight Thursday as a Category Five system between De Gray and Pardoo, with winds of 133 mph.
Record-breaking gusts of nearly 300 km/h were recorded on Bedout Island, off the east coast of Pilbara as the cyclone made landfall.
On Friday morning, it was classified as a Category Three system and was expected to maintain cyclone intensity into the night as it moved hundreds of miles inland toward Telfer and Kunawarritji.
The front of the roadhouse was completely blown away, but the drinks fridge managed to escape largely unscathed