A rare tornado has struck the New South Wales south coast town of Ulladulla, causing significant damage to homes, businesses and the local harbour area as severe storms swept through the region on Saturday.
Shortly after 1pm, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area, alerting residents to the risks of damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall. Authorities later confirmed that a tornado had indeed moved through the region, describing the event as highly unusual for the area.
Dramatic footage captured the rotating column of air moving across residential neighborhoods, while video from a waterfront café showed staff scrambling to secure outdoor furniture before powerful winds and heavy rain struck. Umbrellas, tables and chairs were thrown about as the storm intensified, with debris seen being carried across the harbour precinct.
Local café owner Julius Machado said the weather changed suddenly after what had been a busy Saturday afternoon. According to Machado, dark clouds quickly moved in before strong winds swept through the area within seconds.
“Just a big wind came through and it just swept away everything,” he said, recalling how customers enjoying coffee and lunch outdoors had to rush inside for safety.
Some patrons sheltered in the kitchen while others moved to safer sections of the building as the storm battered the waterfront. Machado, who has operated the café for nearly seven years, said he had never witnessed anything like it despite experiencing severe storms in the past.
He described the tornado-like event as resembling a disaster movie, noting that there was virtually no time to react before the winds struck.
“Nobody got the chance to move the stuff. It just came through so quickly. In 30 seconds, it swept over everything,” he said.
The storm’s force extended beyond the café. Machado said boats secured in the harbour were reportedly lifted and thrown into a nearby car park, highlighting the strength of the winds that tore through the area.
Despite the destruction, the severe weather system moved on almost as quickly as it arrived.
“It lasted just for a couple of minutes. That’s it. And then it was back to normal,” Machado said.
The café was forced to close early as staff began cleaning up the damage. Broken glass, smashed plates and scattered debris were left throughout the premises.
“We had to close up early to clean up. All the glasses were broken, plates, glasses everywhere. It was just a mess, a big mess,” he added.
Emergency services and local authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the damage across Ulladulla and surrounding communities. Residents have been urged to remain cautious as cleanup efforts continue and weather conditions are monitored.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s confirmation of a tornado has drawn attention because such events are relatively uncommon in coastal New South Wales, making the storm a notable and unusual weather occurrence for the region.
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