Heartbroken workers in Airlie Beach are hoping their fellow Australians will get behind the tourist town as it starts to rebuild in the wake of Cyclone Debbie.
Nina Carr was moved to tears as she drove into the main shopping strip on Wednesday.
The Boost Juice manager, whose shop suffered minimal damage, said she and her children were in shock at what had happened elsewhere.
"Our thoughts are with everyone else," she told AAP.
"Shops can be rebuilt, houses can be rebuilt.
"At least we survived."
Ms Carr said there was no doubt the damage from Tuesday's category four cyclone would impact the local tourism sector, but she hoped the town would bounce back.
"We're a strong community and we'll band together and try and make it better than it was before," she said.
"But we also need the rest of the country to come and embrace us.
"Come to north Queensland.
"Without the support of people outside this town we're not going to make it as quickly."
