ONE year after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred struck Redlands Coast, the community is reflecting on the devastation it caused and the resilience shown in the months that followed.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall on Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) as a Category 1 cyclone at about 11.30pm on March 7, 2025.
By 6.45am the following morning, the system had been downgraded to a tropical low as it crossed the bay, bringing widespread impacts across Redlands Coast throughout the morning of March 8.
In the year since the event, Redland City Council says it has worked with the community to strengthen resilience, apply lessons learned and improve preparation for future severe weather events.
Acting Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group Deputy Chair Julie Talty said the cyclone tested the region but also highlighted the strength of the local community.
“It was truly heartening to witness the community coming together in the days leading up to Alfred to ensure residents were as prepared as possible and that the city’s more vulnerable residents were supported,” Cr Talty said.
“Then, of course, after the event, it was ‘all hands on deck’ for the recovery process – planning for which had started even before the cyclone hit.
“In some areas, recovery is ongoing. If residents are aware of fallen trees or stumps that still require removal, they can contact Council on 3829 8999 or lodge an online request form on Council’s website.
“Council coordinated a robust inter-agency collaboration with 47 agencies – such as the State Emergency Service and Queensland Police Service – contributing to the recovery response.
“Council’s Community Champions program continued to serve as a vital conduit between Council and the community during the event and the recovery.”
A range of actions have been undertaken in the 12 months since the cyclone.
In May 2025, Council’s Geographic Information System team’s response to the cyclone won the Excellence in Collaboration category at the Local Government Managers Australia (Queensland) awards ceremony.
By June 2025, foreshore erosion caused by the storm at Redland Bay and Coochiemudlo Island had been repaired.
The following month, Council endorsed two action plans to guide ongoing recovery efforts and improve preparation for future severe weather events. The plans outlined medium- and long-term recovery goals covering the environment, community, economy, city infrastructure, waste management, roads and transport.
The Redland Tropical Cyclone Alfred Local Recovery Plan and the Event-Specific Recovery Action Plan: Tropical Cyclone Alfred were published on Council’s Disaster Dashboard for the community to view.
Also by July 2025, the Local Recovery Group had conducted more than 3000 safety checks on Council assets, collected more than 40 tonnes of food and odorous waste, supported more than 4600 residents through Community Recovery Hubs and connected with 500 impacted businesses.
In November 2025, benchmarking of Council’s vegetation management processes found the city was closely aligned with other regions in terms of severe weather mitigation activities. The review also highlighted Council’s Memorandum of Understanding with Energex as a key strength in helping mitigate impacts on the city’s energy network.
More recently, in February 2026, Council installed a network of flood cameras across the city to improve preparedness and response during major weather events.
The cameras provide live information on flood conditions at key locations and can be accessed through the Redlands Coast Disaster Dashboard, where residents can also sign up to receive flooded road alerts.
Despite the progress made over the past year, recovery work is still continuing.
Council crews are still undertaking the large-scale clean-up effort to remove vegetation damage caused by the cyclone, with teams working across the city to clear debris, assess safety risks and restore public access to affected areas.
Priority continues to be given to locations with significant tree damage or where hazards remain for residents.
