Sudden Dust Devil Disrupts NSW Market, Lifts Gazebo and Stuns Shoppers
A sudden weather phenomenon at a southern New South Wales market left stallholders stunned when a powerful dust devil nearly carried away a gazebo.
Seriya Blackmore, who was selling baby clothes at a Muttama market north of Gundagai on Sunday, said the whirlwind appeared without warning.
“It was insane — it just came out of nowhere, and everyone scrambled to keep their tents from flying off,” she told
“And the strange part was, it wasn’t even that windy.”
Footage of the event captures a swirling wind forming between market stalls before lifting Ms Blackmore’s gazebo into the air.
“If you watch the video, you’ll see a man grab the gazebo just in time — he was literally hanging on for dear life,” she said.
“I had to let go; it was just too strong.”
The sudden gust lasted only seconds, after which bystanders helped her reassemble the stall.
“I’m so thankful. Four men came over and fixed everything, and a bunch of women helped me clean up the clothes and brush off the dust,” Ms Blackmore said.
“People still came by to buy things — they were really kind and supportive.”
What Caused the Mini-Tornado?
Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology explained that dust devils are caused by hot air rising rapidly from the ground.
“This creates unstable air that forms a spinning vortex,” she said.
“As it stretches upward, the spinning intensifies, which can cause dust and debris to lift — just like in this video.”
Bradbury noted that dust devils usually disappear quickly when they encounter cooler air.
“They tend to fade within a minute after forming. Once they hit shaded areas or pockets of cool air, they lose energy and collapse,” she added.
“Longer-lasting ones are possible, but they’re quite rare.”
