Dear Neighbour,

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is estimated to be 325km east of Brisbane and the time left to make preparations is closing.

Please make sure you use these last couple of hours to make sure your household is safe. My previous update has lots of helpful info on how to prepare your home and what to do during the cyclone.

TC Alfred’s gale radius will start to hit Brisbane tonight and it will become increasingly dangerous to go outside. Do not leave your home from Thursday until after the cyclone has passed. The latest models suggest landfall will happen early Friday morning.

Reminder: All bin collection has been cancelled. Do not put your bins out. Ideally store them in a garage or other protected location. Please tell your neighbour if they have put their bins out.

Reminder: The Gabba Ward physical office is now closed. The best way to contact us is via email [email protected] 

ABC has a live cyclone tracker available here.

Are sandbagging locations still open?

All sandbagging locations will close at 8pm tonight. Full list of locations available here. Our closest locations are:

• Camp Hill - Whites Hill Reserve, off Boundary Road (BYO shovel and zip ties)
• Morningside - 9 Redfern Street, Morningside
• Davies Park - Entry via Jane St , West End

Davies Park, West End is out of sand and has closed early.

Has Council done any flood modelling?

Council has released modelling for predicted flooding on their Emergency Dashboard. Zoom into the map on the main page to see the flood map. Or put your address into the search bar on the top righthand side.

It’s important to note the models only include river flooding, creek flooding, storm surge flooding, and flash flooding. The model does not predict overland flow flooding which is likely to be substantial.

What if my home floods or I need to evacuate?

If it’s not safe for you to weather the cyclone in your home, the best option is for you to stay with friends or family. Make this decision now. Once the cyclone is here, there will be flooding and roads may be closed and evacuating will become more dangerous.

There are also several places of refuge where you can go, but these are not evacuation centres. This means there are no beds and there may not be food available.

For non-life-threatening flood and storm emergency assistance, contact SES on 132 500, 132500.qld.gov.au, or the SES Assistance Qld app on Android or iOS. In a life-threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.   

RNA Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills

This is a place of last resort. It will start accepting people from 7am Thursday and will close at midnight Thursday. At this point it will go into lockdown.

The shelter will include only basic amenities and will not have beds, cooking facilities or catering. No pets will be accepted.

Residents are advised to please bring non-perishable food and water if possible. 

Kurilpa Hall, 174 Boundary St, West End

Managed by Micah Projects as a safe space. Already open and accepting people, expected to continue accepting people through the cyclone. No beds. Basic essentials like water and some food available, tables and chairs.

There will be services onsite to support access to temporary housing for people who are homeless.

Micah’s homelessness outreach services will also continue to operate. The Home for Good Hub on the Ground Floor, 162 Boundary Street, West End remains open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. They are available 24/7 on 07 3036 4444 and 3029 7000. 

Emmanuel Mission, 48 Peel St, South Brisbane

Already open and accepting people. Will stay open until 1pm Saturday. No beds. Basic essentials like water and some food available, tables and chairs. Hot showers are available while water and electricity is on.

What if I need to move my car to higher ground?

Council will not be issuing parking infringements for the duration of the event. Please do not park your car anywhere that it will cause a safety hazard. If you want to move your car to higher ground now is the time.

I can confirm for Kangaroo Point residents that have been in contact  about Wharf Street car park, that it is available for use as a place to store vehicles. These will be first come, first served. There are no parking attendants or monitoring. Please be kind to your neighbours.

What if I’m disabled and need support?

The group masks4magandjin is a local mutual aid group that has offered to provide support where they can. Please send them a DM on Instagram with details of what kind of support you need.

When will schools close?

All local schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday. More information available here.

Do I have to pay childcare gap payments even though they are closed?

The federal government this morning announced a "period of emergency" from Wednesday for childcare services in the cyclone risk areas of south-east Queensland and north-east NSW.

This means that families will not be out of pocket for any childcare expenses. More info here.

When will public transport stop?

Busses will continue operating on Wednesday until the end of their usual service times. All public transport will stop operating from Thursday until further notice.

Do I need to shut down my solar PV system?

Energex says solar PV system owners should shut down their systems as TC Alfred approaches, warning of potential safety risks during severe weather.

Follow your installer’s shutdown instructions, typically found on the inverter or main switchboard. Usually turn off the inverter AC mains isolator first, normally located in your meter box. Then turn off the DC isolator which is usually next to the inverter.

Do not climb onto your roof in any circumstance to touch solar panels or components. Do not attempt to fix or reconnect solar after severe storms or roof damage as the roof may be electrified.

Solar panels and cables should always be treated as if they are live.

What final preparations should I do?

Some final preparations you can do from home:

• Make sure all your devices and power banks are charged up.
• If you have a bath, clean it and then fill it up with water.
• If you have any buckets, make sure these are full of water.
• Consider putting some water bottles in your freezer - these can help keep everything cold if the power goes out.
• Pull your bins into your garage or another protected location.
• Make sure everything in your yard and balcony has been brought inside or secured.

In hope,
Trina