The 1876 Bowen tornado was a violent and exceptionally short lived tornado that remains the strongest tornado in Australian history, as being the only one to be rated F5 on the Fujita scale. The tornado was incorrectly marked to strike Brisbane by the Bureau of Meteorology, but was said in local newspapers that tornadic damage was dealt in Bowen. The tornado had estimated wind speeds of over , was reported to kill one person, injure numerous people and deal ã7,000 worth of damage, equivalent to ã1.05 million (GBP) and $2.05 million (AUD) today when adjusted for inflation. The Bowen tornado also remains the first tornado to be rated F5 outside of Europe.
On 16 February 1876 at 9:00 pm, a distant roar was heard, resembling constant thunderâÂÂthat same roar continued to get louder as the storm approached Bowen. Eventually, a violent but short-lived tornado struck the town; one that had a reported lifespan of a mere 30 seconds. This funnel would go on and obliterate a hotel, a brick shop, dwelling and bakery. The tornado's damage was documented so well that the Bureau of Meteorology would rate it F5; placing the tornado's estimated wind speed of at least . The approximate path length of the tornado is , though the tornado's true path length would be much shorter.
A dozen homes, a hotel, a brick shop, dwelling and bakery were all destroyed. The floor of a house with a man inside was driven into a lock-up fence; without injury. A hospital in the town was also destroyed, where multiple injuries would take place. A store was shifted on its foundation; with its veranda being blown away, as well as a portion of a boarding house. A hotel was also blown away, with a few cottages being considerably damaged. The walls of the Lands Office buckled and the roof fell inside, destroying a considerable amount of furniture. Another house was shifted off its supports, and carried approximately before being set down, remaining somewhat intact. It was also reported that a horse was killed after a flying sheet of iron cut it in two. By the end, only three houses remained standing in the town. Overall, one person lost their life, numerous people would be injured and ã7,000 of damage was dealt; equivalent to ã1.05 million (GBP) and $2.05 million (AUD) today when adjusted for inflation.