Several tourist island resorts were evacuated as a precaution over the weekend as officials warned that the cyclone would spark a full-scale disaster if it made landfall.

But Queensland's northern coast was spared significant damage as the storm remained 75 to 125 miles (120-200 km) offshore. There was no immediate word on any damage to the famed Great Barrier Reef, which took a direct hit from the center of Hamish.

The Army and Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it began looking for a group of fishermen Monday morning after the crew activated an emergency distress beacon on their trawler about 140 nautical miles east of Rockhampton.

Hamish weakened rapidly on Tuesday, then reversed course and began drifting back toward the northwest along its original path.

Meteorologists said only minor flooding would occur in the unlikely event remnants of the storm were to move onshore.

Cyclone Hamish Track

Satellite Loop Data: CIMSS