Record lightning strikes hit Australia
A record-breaking 25,000 bolts of lightning struck part of Australia in just one hour.
The storm swept through the Burdekin and Townsville areas of North Queensland.
A spokesman confirmed more than 25,000 lighting strikes hit the region during the storm, setting an Australian record.
"The storm activity we had last night was fairly extensive and quite severe," the Ergon Electricity spokesman told ABC radio. "The electrical display was quite spectacular."
Winds of up to 80kmph hit the Gold and Sunshine coasts, whipping up big seas and bringing down powerlines.
The Weather Bureau has said conditions should begin to improve in south-east Queensland.
