Dear Neighbours,

We woke up this morning to sunny skies but that does not mean it’s all smooth sailing ahead. This is very much the calm before the storm.

TC Alfred is currently 240 km east of Brisbane and travelling towards us at a rate of 7km/hr. The latest models predict it will make landfall late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Tropical cyclones are erratic and the precise timing and location of landfall will continue to change over the coming days. The most destructive winds from TC Alfred will cover a 150km radius south of the centre - so no matter where it lands, there is a strong chance we will experience extreme weather.

There’s also been talk of the cyclone slowing down or possibly even becoming a Category 1 after hitting the bay islands. BOM forecasters have suggested we don’t get too hung up on categories.

The categories only refer to wind speeds and don’t relate to things like rainfall. We are expecting rainfalls of 250-400mm a day for at least two days, with flooding likely to be the most damaging impact. Regardless of the category it will be extremely dangerous.

To keep on top of the latest updates:

• sign up for Brisbane severe weather alerts
• Sign up for BOM weather notifications
• monitor Brisbane City Council’s emergency dashboard

If you missed my previous updates, you can find them here.

Sandbags Update

Temporary, fill-your-own sandbag sites have been reopened at:

• Davies Park, Montague, Road, West End
• Whites Hill Reserve, Camp Hill
• Mortimer Road Park, Acacia Ridge
• Old Toowong Bowls Club, corner Gailey Road and Heroes Avenue, Toowong
• Boondall Entertainment Centre (Car Park 2)
• Murarrie Recreational Reserve, Wynnum Road, Murarrie
• Atthows Park, Monier Road, Darra

Make sure to bring your own shovel and zip ties. Sites will remain open until 8pm tonight. Council is intending to reopen these sites again on Friday, but this is not confirmed.

Secure your bins!

We’re receiving reports of bins being left out for roadside collection. Reminder that there will be no more bin collections this week. Please secure your bin, ideally by bringing it inside.

Not everyone has got the notice about rubbish collection being cancelled, so please pass on the message to your neighbours. You may wish to knock on their door to let them know - a great opportunity to check in and chat about how you’re both going with your cyclone prep.

What can I do if my neighbour has not secured their yard or balcony?

Council has no jurisdiction over private property and cannot force anyone to do cyclone prep.

The best advice I can give is for you to knock on your neighbour’s door and strike up a conversation about how they’re feeling about the cyclone. You can then flow the conversation into cyclone preparation and preparations like securing their yard or balcony.

The conversation will have the best chance of going well if you are friendly and supportive. I would advise against going in too strong or being accusatory. If you have capacity, you could offer to help them clean up and prep their property.

What can I do if a construction site is not secured?

Council sent out correspondence to all construction industry contacts on Tuesday morning, requesting they secure their construction sites. If you are aware of any sites which are not properly secured, you can report the issue to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 1300 362 128. You will have to make a formal complaint and then WHS should contact the site owners.

The cyclone is delayed, what about the refuge centre?

The refuge centre at the RNA Showgrounds is currently open. It will remain open until the commencement of the event (it won’t close at midnight tonight as originally advertised).

Kurilpa Hall and Emmanuel Mission are also still open and operating. More info in my previous email.

Roadside assistance update

The RACQ is pausing its roadside assistance services in south-east Queensland to as far west as Withcott in the Lockyer Valley from 7pm Thursday evening.

Any update about road closures?

No major roads or bridges will shut preemptively in South-East Queensland. Transport and Main Roads are actively monitoring the situation and will only close roads and bridges when necessary. Bridges will shut when the wind speeds reach 90km/hr.

Remember not to drive through flood waters, even if the road is only mildly flooded. Not only is driving through flood waters dangerous, it also causes extra damage to nearby properties.

How can I report fallen powerlines?

The Energex Emergency line for fallen powerlines is 13 19 62. Make sure you are very careful after the cyclone passes for any live electrical wires on the streets.

Are supermarkets closed?

Some Queensland supermarkets in the impact zone will close from today, while others are reducing their opening hours. The decision will be made on a case-by-case basis according to each store.

In hope,
Trina