List of disasters in Australia by death toll

This is a list of disasters in Australia by death toll.

100 or more deaths DisasterLocation Deaths Date Notes Pandemic Australia-wide 19,265 2020 Jan – 2023 MayCOVID-19 pandemic in Australia, part of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic Australia-wide 12,000+ 1918–1920 1918 flu pandemic. Epidemic Australia-wide 8,000+ 1875–1876 Scarlet fever epidemic.Curson, P H. Times of Crisis: Epidemics in Sydney 1788–1900. Sydney University Press, 1988. p-74. Volcanic eruption Territory of Papua and New Guinea 2,942 1951 Jan 1951 eruption of Mount Lamington.IndustrialWittenoom2,000+1940s–1960sEnvironmental and public health catastrophe. It involved the mining of blue asbestos at Wittenoom Gorge from the 1940s to the 1960s. Due to inadequate safety measures, workers and residents were exposed to asbestos fibres, leading to widespread cases of asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. It is known as the worst industrial catastrophe in Australian history. Epidemic Western Australia 1,879+ 1891–1910 1891-1910 Western Australia typhoid epidemic: Australia's worst typhoid epidemic. Worst-affected areas were the WA Goldfields where overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions were rife. Official death toll was close to 2,000 but actual toll much higher. Epidemic Australia-wide 1,013 1946–1955 Polio epidemic. Epidemic New South Wales 750 to 2,600 1789 Smallpox epidemic among Aboriginal peoples Epidemic Sydney, New South Wales 748 1867 Feb–June Measles epidemic in Sydney city & inner suburbs. Most of the victims were children under the age of 4. Epidemic Australia-wide 535 1900–1925 Bubonic plague.Bushfires Australia-wide4792019–2020The Black Summer bushfires killed 479 people; 34 people from flames, and 445 people from smoke exposure. Future deaths from cardiovascular conditions and cancer are predicted. Heat wave Victoria 438 1938 Dec – 1939 Feb Heat wave killed 438 and sparked the Black Friday bushfires (see below). Heat wave South-eastern Australia 437 1895 Dec – 1896 Jan Widespread heat wave killed 437, including 47 in Bourke, New South Wales. Cyclone Bathurst Bay, Queensland 410 4 Mar 1899 Cyclone Mahina; estimated toll. Shipwreck King Island, Tasmania 406 4 Aug 1845 The Cataraqui was wrecked when it crashed into rocks off the coast of King Island in stormy weather at 4:30 in the morning on 4 August. With 400 dead (another source states 406), it was Australia's worst civil maritime disaster. Heat wave South-eastern Australia 374 25 Jan 2009 – 9 Feb A nine-day heat wave in early 2009 in which Adelaide recorded six consecutive days over , a high of and a record overnight minimum of on 28 January.75 excess deaths attributed to heat stress were recorded in the Adelaide metropolitan area, 33 in Melbourne and an unknown number in country areas. Sparked the Black Saturday bushfires (see below). Health authorities attribute 374 deaths to the heat wave. Massacre Gippsland Victoria 300+ 1840–1850 Gippsland massacres – The Aboriginal people of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, known as the Gunai/Kurnai people, fought against the European colonisation of their traditional hunting grounds. Estimated 300 people were killed. Shipwreck 286 1712 Jun Sinking of Dutch ship Zuytdorp, which was wrecked off the coast near Kalbarri. There has been speculation that there were survivors, who may have been assisted by local Aboriginal Australians. Sinking Off North Stradbroke Island, Queensland 268 14 May 1943 Sinking of AHS Centaur. Hospital ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.The Centaur memorial, in Point Danger, Coolangatta, Queensland, commemorates the sinking of the hospital ship AHS Centaur in 1943, which claimed 268 lives. Heat wave Southern states 246 1907 Dec – 1908 JanThere were 105 deaths in South Australia alone (between 7 December 1907 and 8 February 1908). Air raids Darwin, Northern Territory 243 19 Feb 1942 First bombings of Darwin. The first Japanese air raids against Australia. There were two air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942, the first one began around 10 am, the second around 11:45 am. The toll may have been higher because itinerants and Aboriginal Australians may be under-represented in the official count. Prison break Cowra, New South Wales 235–238 5 Aug 1944 Cowra breakout. Escape by Japanese POWs. Japanese prisoners of war practise baseball on the sports ground near their quarters, several weeks before the 1944 Cowra breakout, in which at least 235 people died Pandemic Australia-wide 234 1890 1889–90 flu pandemic Shipwreck King Island, Tasmania 224 13 May 1835 The convict ship the , was wrecked on Navarine Reef near King Island in the early hours of 13 May 1835. Shipwreck Western Australia 212 1726 Aagtekerke. Possibly WA, but there is some doubt on this.:nl:Lijst van rampen buiten Nederland met Nederlandse dodelijke slachtoffers Massacre Coniston Station, Northern Territory 200 Coniston massacre Pandemic Australia-wide 191 2009 2009 flu pandemic in Australia. 191 confirmed deaths. Death toll possibly as high as 1600. Shipwreck Ledge Point, Western Australia 186 28 Apr 1656 The Vergulde Draeck bound for Batavia, was wrecked near Ledge Point on 28 April 1656. Bushfires Victoria 173 7 Feb 2009 The Black Saturday bushfires broke out on 7 February 2009, strong winds gusted up to 100 km/h, allowing the fires to spread quickly. The final death toll was 173, with over 2000 houses destroyed. Cyclone/sinking Western Australia 150+ 21–22 Mar 1912 The was lost in a cyclone between Port Hedland and Broome during a cyclone with all on board (around 158 people). The cyclone crossed the Western Australia coast around Mbalabala, early on 22nd. Several other ships and vessels were also wrecked in the cyclone, claiming another 15 lives. Heat waves Australia-wide 147 1920–1921 Heat waves Australia-wide 143 + 1911–1912 Cyclone Broome, Western Australia 141 26 Mar 1935 Pearling fleet devastated. Cyclone Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia 140 1884 Pearling fleet sunk. Cyclone Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia 140 22 Apr 1887 A late season cyclone hit the Eighty Mile Beach area (then known as Ninety Mile Beach), devastating the pearling fleet there, killing 140 people and around 20 boats lost. Shipwreck D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasmania 133 12 Apr 1835 George III Shipwreck Cape York, Queensland 133 28 Feb 1890 The RMS Quetta, sank in around 3 minutes, with the loss of 134 of her 292 passengers and crew. Heat wave Southern states 130 1926 Dec – 1927 Jan Shipwreck/mutiny/massacre Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia 125+ 1629 Jun – Jul The Dutch ship Batavia was wrecked in the Abrolhos Islands early on 4 June 1629. After some of the crew left for help, mutineers murdered at least 125 of the survivors, while 40 drowned when the wreck broke up. This toll does not include the mutineers, seven of whom were hanged and two cast away after the remaining passengers had been rescued. Most of the remaining mutineers were later executed. Heat wave Australia-wide 122 + 1913–1914 Cyclone/sinking North-eastern Queensland 122 16 Mar 1911 Shipwreck Sydney 121 20 Aug 1857 Dunbar. 1 survivor. Heat wave Australia-wide 112 1939–1940 Heat wave Australia-wide 109 1909 Dec – 1910 Feb Heat wave Southern regions, Australia 105 + 1959 Jan – Feb Some sources puts the death toll at 145. Cyclone/sinking Ayr, Queensland 102–112 24 Feb 1875 . Records of passengers vary.

50 to 99 deaths DisasterLocation Deaths Date Notes Heat wave Southern regions Australia 99 1972 Dec – 1973 Feb Cyclone Northern Queensland 99 12 Mar 1934 A tropical cyclone crossed the North Queensland coast around Cape Tribulation, which generated a 9.1 storm surge. A pearling fleet off the coast was damaged, with 75 people reported lost (one source says 99). Explosion Mount Kembla, New South Wales 96 31 Jul 1902 Mount Kembla Mine disaster. Coal mine gas explosion Shipwreck Montebello Islands, Western Australia 93 24 May 1622 Tryall. Earliest recorded Australian shipwreck. Flood Gundagai, New South Wales 89 24–25 Jun 1852 A severe flash flood destroyed the town of Gundagai, which resulted in 89 deaths. Shipwreck Near Carpenter Rocks, in South East South Australia 89 6 Aug 1859 . South Australia's worst loss of life. Air raid Broome, Western Australia 88 3 Mar 1942 Air raid on Broome. Japanese fighter planes strafed the town. Official toll; may not include some refugees from the Dutch East Indies. Rail accident Sydney 84 18 Jan 1977 Granville railway disaster. Derailment followed by bridge collapse. Sinking 82 10 Feb 1964 Melbourne–Voyager collision – sank after collision with . Explosion Bulli, New South Wales 81 23 Mar 1887 Bulli Colliery coal mine gas explosion. Shipwreck King Island, Tasmania 79 23 May 1874 British Admiral Cyclone Queensland coast, particularly Innisfail 77+ 10 Mar 1918 Cyclone and storm surge with death toll estimated between 77 and 100. Storms New South Wales between Port Stephens and Sydney 77 12 Jul 1866 60 lives lost on alone. Explosion Mount Mulligan, Queensland 7519 Sep 1921 Mount Mulligan mine disaster caused by coal dust explosion. Bushfire Victoria and South Australia 75 16 Feb 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires Shipwreck Green Cape, New South Wales 71 30 May 1886 The steamship Ly-Ee-Moon was wrecked during a violent gale on 30 May 1886 near Green Cape, resulting in around 71 deaths. Bushfire Victoria 71 13 Jan 1939 Black Friday bushfires. Cyclone Darwin 71 25 Dec 1974 Cyclone Tracy destroys the city of Darwin on Christmas Day 1974. Top wind gust recorded was . On 17 March 2005, a Northern Territory Coroner's Inquest outcome increased the official death toll from 65 to 71. Flood Clermont, Queensland 65 27 Dec 1916 Bushfire Tasmania 64 7 Feb 1967 Now known as Black Tuesday, 64 people died, and 7,000 left homeless as over a hundred fires burned in southern Tasmania. Cyclone Near Roebourne and Geraldton, Western Australia 61–71 1894 Jan Estimated toll includes those lost at sea and those killed in flooding at Geraldton. Shipwreck Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia 60 1727 Zeewyk. Approximate death toll Shipwreck Newcastle, New South Wales 60 12 Jul 1866 The paddle steamer SS Cawarra sank during a storm in Newcastle Harbour, there was only one survivor. Bushfire Victoria 60 1926 Feb–Mar The worst fires occurred on 14 February (Black Sunday) in the Gippsland region and other areas, where 31 people died at Warburton, Victoria. Houses and buildings were destroyed in many places including Erica and Belgrave. The town of Noojee was destroyed, with only the hotel left standing. In all, over the two-month period, 60 people died and 1,000 buildings were destroyed. Cyclone Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia 59–69 1875 Dec – 1876 Jan Most casualties were at sea. Shipwreck Mutton Bird Island, off the Shipwreck Coast of Victoria 53 1 Jun 1878 Loch Ard. Sources vary on exact death toll (2 survivors). Epidemic Southern States 51 1881–1885 Smallpox epidemic. Bushfire Victoria 51 Bushfires broke out in various parts of Victoria from late December 1943 to mid February 1944, resulting in 51 deaths, and destroying 500 buildings. Shipwreck Brisbane, Queensland 50 13 Feb 1896 Capsize of the ferry Pearl Cyclone Around Broome, Western Australia 50 26–27 Apr 1908 A tropical cyclone impacted the Broome region, which wrecked the pearling fleet in the area, and resulted in the loss of 50 lives.

20 to 49 deaths