The years that followed the cyclone of 1911 and the tragic loss of the Yongala were demanding ones for the Commonwealth Meteorological Service and its Queensland Division. Then, as now, the challenge was the cyclone season, when the great storms brewed in the Coral Sea, and began their unpredictable paths towards the tropical coastline. The settlements which had started in north Queensland in the latter part of the 19th century were growing apace, and much of this fertile coastal strip was under cultivation. To improve the warning systems for the cyclones and for the subsequent flooding in the coastal rivers, especially the Brisbane, was a matter of high priority for Mr Hunt and the Bureau in Melbourne. For George Bond and the Brisbane Weather Office staff, battling against an inadequate reporting system, and smarting under continual and stinging criticism from north Queensland, the matter was urgent indeed.

George Grant Bond, Divisional Meteorologist, 1903–1934.

In November 1911, as a community service, the Brisbane Weather Bureau set up a system of signals using flags flown from the Customs House in Brisbane, from 10 am to 5 pm daily. By the design and colour of the flag temperature, wind and rain forecasts could be determined.

Bureau of Meteorology