Cyclone Larry was a severe tropical cyclone that affected parts of northern Queensland, Australia, in March 2006. The storm developed in the Coral Sea and intensified into a Category 5 system on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale before making landfall near the town of Innisfail on March 20, 2006. Cyclone Larry brought destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges, causing significant damage to infrastructure, agriculture—particularly the banana and sugar cane industries—and residential properties.
The cyclone weakened rapidly after moving inland and was downgraded to a tropical low within 48 hours of landfall. Emergency services and disaster recovery agencies responded promptly, and no direct fatalities were reported, though several injuries occurred. The economic impact was substantial, with estimated damages exceeding AUD 1.5 billion, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in Australian history at the time.
Cyclone Larry’s name was retired by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology following the season, in accordance with standard practice for cyclones that have caused significant impacts.