Operation Yasi Assist
From 02 February to 14 February, the ADF provide a range of support to cyclone-affected communities.
This included:
- Supplying a total of approximately 3300 ration packs, including 2800 in the Cairns district and almost 490 in the Innisfail district;
- Delivering almost 75 tonnes of stores to the Townsville, Innisfail and Cairns districts;
- Removing debris from approximately 260 km of road in the Townsville district, almost 130 km in the Innisfail district, and 35 km in the Cairns district;
- Clearing the yards and grounds of more than 105 community properties in the Innisfail district and 90 in the Townsville district;
- Cutting and clearing trees from almost 230 sites and clearing debris from almost 150 houses in the Innisfail district;
- Collecting and dumping more than 320 tonnes of debris from the Innisfail district;
- Conducting door knocks on approximately 5000 homes in the Townsville district and more than 450 homes in the Innisfail district;
- The Joint Task Force comprised elements from each of the three Services.
The Navy’s contribution included:
- Deploying two Landing Craft Heavy ships to transport military engineering vehicles and equipment, and sustainment stores from Townsville to Mourilyan Harbour.
- Deploying HMAS Benalla to Townsville to conduct a port survey to clear the way for civil shipping. Benalla also conducted a survey of Cairns harbour post Cyclone Yasi’s impact.
Army’s contribution included:
- An Army Aviation rotary wing task group, including Black Hawk, Chinook and Kiowa helicopters, which flew approximately 160 hours and Transported approximately 320 ADF personnel and civilians.
- Approximately 950 Army personnel spread across the cyclone impacted area and working on the breadth of tasks undertaken by the Joint Task Force.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) contribution included:
- C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster and B-350 King Air aircraft, which flew approximately 110 hours;
- Transporting approximately 325 ADF personnel and civilians and airlifting more than 320 tonnes of cargo, including more than 200 tonnes of food supplies.