Dear neighbour,

I’m getting in touch with a special update to ensure you’re prepared for the impacts of Tropical Cyclone (TC) Alfred. Brisbane is at a “watch and act” level of alert with the Bureau of Meteorology modelling showing a very high chance that TC Alfred will track towards SE Queensland over the next couple of days. 

We need to take this situation seriously, so please make sure you take all necessary steps to protect yourself. It’s better to be overly prepared than caught off guard.

Important Ferry (CityCat and KittyCat) alert

Brisbane City Council Ferries will be suspended from Tuesday until further notice. The last CityCat services will depart Northshore Hamilton and University of Queensland at 10:15pm Monday night and the last Kittycat services will leave by 11:40pm.

11 CityCats will be taken from the river and placed on hardstands and the remaining 16 will be stored inside protected docks. The five KittyCat will be securely moored at the marina.  

How likely is it that it will hit Brisbane?

As at 4:00 am this morning, TC Alfred is currently at category 2 intensity and was located over the Coral Sea, about 465 km northeast of Brisbane and 410 km east northeast of Maroochydore.

TC Alfred has been travelling south-east throughout the day on Monday and is expected to slow down and turn eastward from Tuesday. It will head directly towards the SE Queensland coast and could make landfall anywhere between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

ABC has a live 120-hour Cycle Alfred forecast map which you can access here.

How bad could it be?

Even if TC Alfred does not make landfall or makes landfall north of Brisbane, Brisbane will experience severe weather impacts. At this stage we don’t know with any certainty what level of intensity we will experience.

The latest information we have received indicates that predicted rainfall will be anywhere between 70-380mm per day. To put this into context, in the 2022 floods the Brisbane Local Government area received 400ml to 1100ml across 3 days. 

Winds are expected to range from 70-130km/hr. This will be sustained wind speeds over the course of several hours.

Tropical cyclones are massive weather systems that stretch hundreds of kilometres in length. The level of impact Brisbane receives will depend on exactly how the system tracks. So It's important to stay up to date.

How do I stay up to date?

Stay up to date with local alerts through the Brisbane City Council emergency dashboard and sign up for Brisbane severe weather alerts here. 

Sign up for weather alerts from BOM here.

The State Disaster Coordination Centre will send emergency alerts to warn people of dangerous weather and possible severe impacts. The decision to send an emergency alert is based on certainty, severity, timeframe, frequency and action. You do not need to register to receive an emergency alert. Emergency alert messages are sent from: +61 444 444 444. If you receive an emergency alert and want more information, follow the instructions in the message

Council has stood up the Local Disaster Coordinator Centre (LDCC) in response to TC Alfred. I am in regular contact with the LDCC and will be posting updates via social media and email newsletter.

How do I prepare?

The Queensland Government has useful information about how to prepare for TC Alfred. In particular it’s important that your household put together an emergency kit.

The Brisbane City Council provides sandbags for residents and businesses 24/7 during extreme weather events. 

Sandbags can be collected at the following depots, although please note we are aware of significant delays at all locations:

• Darra - South Depot, 38 Shamrock Road
• Lota Depot, 58 Herbert Street, Lota
• Morningside - Balmoral Depot, 9 Redfern Street
• Newmarket - SES Depot, 66 Wilston Road
• Zillmere-North Depot, 33 Jennings Street. 

My office is working with the LDCC to try and secure a pop-up sandbag collection point in South Brisbane. I will keep you updated as soon as I have further information.

Free green waste drop off is now available at all 4 resource recovery centres (RRCs). It’s always best to clean up your home ahead of possible severe weather.

The RRCs are open from 6.30 am to 5.45 pm every day, located at:

• Willawong - 360 Sherbrooke Road
• Chandler - 728 Tilley Road
• Ferny Grove - 101 Upper Kedron Road
• Nudgee - 1372 Nudgee Road 

You can contact SES 132 500 from anywhere in Queensland for non-life-threatening flood and storm emergency assistance during severe weather events. If the situation is life threatening, always call Triple Zero (000).

Please report any Council related impacts and maintenance issues (e.g. trees down, flooded roads or blocked storm water drains) to Council’s Contact Centre on 07 3403 8888.

Resilient Kurilpa is a great resource with information specific to our local community, particularly around flood preparedness for those living in apartment towers located on the flood plain.

Please get in touch with my office if your circumstances mean you need help preparing for TC Alfred - particularly if you are disabled or elderly. My office will try and put you in touch with volunteers who can help you prepare.

Should I be evacuating?

Moreton Island is being evacuated, but there are not currently any evacuation orders for mainland Brisbane. Please make sure you are signed up to receive severe weather updates so you are aware if the advice changes.

I am advocating for the State Government to support people sleeping rough by putting them up in hotels or other temporary accommodation immediately.

Should I check in on neighbours?

Absolutely! In times like these it’s important to keep in mind your neighbours and fellow residents, especially vulnerable people who may need extra assistance to prepare. It’s understandable to feel anxious about this warning, especially with the 3-year anniversary of the last flooding event only a few days ago.

It’s important to remember that our community has a proud tradition of supporting each other through major weather events. If you’re not already in touch with them, we suggest taking a moment to connect with your neighbours and ensure they’re following the relevant authorities and receiving updates. 

How else can I help my community?

My office is working closely with our federal MP Max Chandler-Mather to prepare for recovery after the cyclone. There is likely to be much need for cleanup support, as well as potentially dropping off meals and other supplies, to households who may have lost power, alongside other forms of assistance.

We will be asking people to sign up to volunteer with cleanup once we have a better idea of what the impacts will be. Keep an eye out on future emails for the signup sheet.

Of course, please look after yourself and your immediate household first. If you are impacted by the cyclone and its effects, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office for support and we will do what we can do.

In hope,
Trina