Enormous dark clouds of sand and dirt turn day into night in the small outback town on the edge of the Simpson Desert

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A huge dust storm has rolled into the small Queensland town of Bedourie, engulfing the residents in dust.

Maggie den Ronden, a local council employee, took these pictures on Thursday afternoon as the clouds rolled in, plunging Bedourie into darkness for an hour-and-a-half.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Maggie den Ronden

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The sun nears the horizon as clouds move across the flat landscape. Photograph: Maggie den Ronden

Located in arid far-western Queensland on the edge of the Simpson desert, the town is no stranger to the storms.

“We do get them from time to time but that was a big one,” den Ronden told Guardian Australia.

As soon as it had begun, the dust moved on.

“We could see the stars by 7:30,” den Ronden explained.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The huge clouds move towards Bedourie. Photograph: Maggie den Ronden