Lockyer Valley suffers $50 million in tornado likened hail storm damage

Mr Buchholz said the record hailstorm descended upon the Lockyer Valley late last Friday afternoon with extraordinary force, tearing through the tranquillity of the valley and leaving a trail of destruction that we are only beginning to comprehend.

In the line of fire were vegetable and lucrence growers Brett and Heidi Steffan of Crowley Vale, who hosted the parliamentary visit and have lost their entire egg plant and choko crop which has seven weeks of picking time left.

They also lost their undercover growing house infrastructure and had irrigation pipes left in a twist metal mess with poles which cemented two foot into the year blown over.

Mr Buchholz said he initially would like to express his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Joy Martin, the life partner of Colin Greenwood, who tragically lost her life during the tumultuous weather conditions, and was crushed by a falling tree while attending to her horses.

"The storm, measuring approximately five kilometres in width, its tornado-like characteristics unleashed havoc, with wind, rain, and hail leaving a path of devastation across residential and farming areas alike," he said.

"Reports indicate that winds reached speeds in excess of 100 kilometres per hour, while the hail fell with such intensity and volume that sections of the Lockyer Valley, particularly around Laidley and Forest Hill, resembled the snow-covered slopes of the Australian Alps."

Mr Littleproud said the weather event had a terrible impact on local farming areas.

"There has been an estimated $30 million damage of crops, resulting in a further $20 million in infrastructure damage," Mr Littleproud said.

"Unfortunately, many growers were already struggling after floods and with vegetable prices at an all-time low."

Mr Buchholz said in the aftermath of this meteorological onslaught, the fertile agricultural region of the Lockyer Valley faces an extensive cleanup, with damages to be repaired and the heart-wrenching loss of crops for farmers.

"Collaborating with local leaders, including Mayor Tanya Milligan, State MP Jim McDonald, and Lockyer Valley Growers President Mick Sippel, preliminary assessments are indicating a staggering $50 million dollars' worth of combined damage of crops and infrastructure."

"Approximately 40 growers in the Lockyer Valley have borne the brunt of this natural disaster, making it incumbent upon the community to rally support from both State and Federal governments to aid them in overcoming the challenges that lie ahead".