Generators for Hervey Bay and Maryborough

Hervey Bay sees fewer cyclones than the far north, where Innisfail counts 15. Maryborough's 4650 postcode also counts 9, none of them severe. But a storm doesn't have to be a cyclone, or cross nearby, to flood the streets and cut the power.

Ex-cyclone Alfred isn't in our count. Even so, on 9 March 2025 more than 230 mm of rain fell on Hervey Bay in six hours, and about 1,600 homes and businesses were hit by flash flooding. Ergon restored power by the Wednesday, but 200 properties needed an electrician's inspection before they could be reconnected. A week on, some high-rise apartments were still without power, because floodwater had swamped their basement switchboards.

Ex-cyclone Seth moved across the coast near Hervey Bay in January 2022, with more than 400 mm of rain a day in places, and the Mary River flooded hard. On 9 January a damaged valve in Maryborough's CBD levee let the water in, and more than 30 inner-city blocks were told to evacuate. Ergon disconnected CBD properties for safety and warned people to prepare for long outages. In late February the river rose again, and the council announced the CBD's power would be cut from 4pm on 26 February. Both floods peaked at 10.3 m.

A big flood also splits the town. Lamington Bridge closes at 4.5 m and Granville Bridge at 5.7 m, and Granville can be cut off for several days.

Daisy crossed K'gari in February 1972, damaging about 200 homes at Pialba, with serious forest damage near Maryborough. In March 1992 Fran's storm surge flooded 100 houses, 20 businesses and 50 caravans at Hervey Bay, and caravan parks were evacuated. Even David, which crossed the coast far to the north near St Lawrence in 1976, sent storm tides into houses and shops at Urangan.

Hervey Bay is the gateway to K'gari and a whale watching town, with guests to look after. For a motel, caravan park or block of holiday units, a standby diesel on an automatic transfer switch takes over when the grid drops, with nobody needing to start it.

• Fridge, lights, phones and a laptop: a 2 to 3.5 kVA inverter.
• Add the TV, microwave and fans: 3.5 to 5 kVA.
• Boiling the kettle in a blackout: a power station rated above the kettle's label, like the 2,400 W HYPS2400 (it runs most kettles), so the generator can stay at 2 kVA.
• Most of the house, split system included: 7 to 10 kVA petrol, or 8 to 12 kVA diesel if it will run for days.
• The whole house with ducted air: 10 kVA and up, usually diesel.
• Motel office, shop or cool room: 10 to 20 kVA diesel.

If anyone at home keeps medicine in the fridge or relies on powered medical equipment, size for those first. Our generator size calculator adds it all up in about a minute, or browse inverter generators and diesel generators.

A week after Alfred, some Hervey Bay apartments were still without power. Over a stretch like that, a generator with enough grunt for the kettle burns fuel all day carrying little more than a fridge and lights. A 2 kVA inverter does that job on less fuel, and a power station takes over the nights, the kettle or both.

Our two Hyundai bundles pair the HY2000Si with a power station, and each pair costs less than its two parts bought separately. For quiet nights, the HY2000Si and HYPS1000 bundle: the HY2000Si covers the daytime load and refills the HYPS1000, which then runs the fridge, lights and phones overnight with the generator off. It's a 1,000 W unit, so it won't run a kettle. For the kettle, the HY2000Si and HYPS2400 bundle: the 2,400 W HYPS2400 powers most kettles (check your kettle's label) and still keeps the essentials going quietly overnight. Compare them with the rest of our portable power stations.

In the February 2022 flood, the Bruce Highway was cut in several places north of Tiaro. That's not the week to go looking for a generator. Buy before November, run it once at home so you know how it starts, keep fuel stored safely and start it every month.

We deliver across the Fraser Coast, from Hervey Bay and Burrum Heads to Maryborough and Tiaro. Most units up to 10 kVA ship free, with the rest priced at checkout. Those prices are worked out on delivery to capital cities and major centres, so if your address costs more to reach, we'll ring before dispatch with the difference, and you can go ahead or cancel for a full refund.

Orders usually leave our Townsville store or the supplier warehouse nearest you within 1 to 5 business days, and arrive within 3 to 8 business days of ordering. Sets over about 1 tonne take 1 to 2 weeks to dispatch and need a forklift, crane or tractor forks to unload, and we'll call before dispatch to check access.

A generator must never feed the house through a power point. Backfeeding is illegal and puts line workers' lives at risk. A licensed electrician fits a changeover switch and inlet so it runs your circuits safely. Read how a changeover switch installation works. If floodwater has reached your switchboard, as it did in some Hervey Bay apartments after Alfred, have an electrician check it first. Run the generator outside, clear of doors and windows, as the exhaust can kill.