Townsville residents ordered to stay indoors as Cyclone Kirrily impacts north Queensland

Homes have been boarded up and Townsville residents have gone into lockdown as Cyclone Kirrily intensifies to a category 3 storm and warnings are issued over crocodiles.

Townsville have gone into lockdown ahead of Cyclone Kirrily making landfall, as schools, airports and businesses shut down, and locals prepare for destructive winds, flooding and possible crocodiles in the streets.

Kirrily was upgraded to a category 3 cyclone 3pm Thursday as it accelerates toward the north Queensland coast.

The system is fast closing in on Townsville, positioned about 155km from the northeast coastline. Very destructive 170km/h winds will impact all areas between and including Ingham and Ayr.

Disaster Recovery Minister Nikki Boyd has warned residents in “croc country” to take extra precautions ahead of expected intense rainfall and predicted flooding, as North Queensland prepares for Tropical Cyclone Kirrily to make landfall.

Ms Boyd said there were “two events” Queenslanders needed to ensure they were prepared for – the gale force winds and the resulting flooding.

Townsville residents fill sandbags in preparation for the oncoming cyclone. Picture: Getty Images

“My message is if it’s flooded, forget it – it is not safe to cross flood waters, particularly not in croc country,” she said.

She also urged residents to decide on Thursday whether they would be staying in their homes for the duration of the cyclone or seeking refuge.

“We have those evacuation centres that are set up now, and ready to take people across the area,” Ms Boyd said.

Long queues have formed outside shops across North Queensland as people make last-minute purchases to complete their cyclone preparations.

At the Railway Estate sandbagging station right across from Country Bank Stadium, police officers and locals knelt side-by-side and shovelled sand together.

Ricardo Peach took the morning off, donned a straw hat and headed down to fill his bags.

Surfers at North Wall Mackay making the most of the swell whipped up by Cyclone Kirrily. Picture: Michaela Harlow

He said he was less worried about the cyclone with his attention now turned to flood risk – and crocodiles.

“We’re kind of in a place that can flood, so we’ll be prepping the doors in case of flash flooding,” he said.

“I’ve lived here for about three years, so I wasn’t here for 2019 but the Ross River is full already.

Townsville residents attend to their boats at the Ross Creek Marina ahead of Cyclone Kirrily making landfall. Picture: Ian Hitchcock

“The crocodiles have new highways when it floods. That could be a fun thing to look forward to.”

Young Leo Toleman, 7, sat atop the sand pile helping his dad stack bags, his baby sister keeping a close eye on production.

Michael Wood packed the entire trunk of his car with sandbags to deliver to doors in Belgian Gardens.

He said he wasn’t expecting his house to flood but, “it’s better to be safe than sorry”.

Out at the northern coastal suburb of Pallarenda, waterfront properties were being bordered up.

Tony Fodera was busy pinning up heavy duty plastic sheets across his front windows with duct tape.

“These are the second lot of windows in 12 months,” he said.

“The rain comes in sideways.

“We’ll pull the curtains as well as a buffer if the glass hits.”

Argentinian tourist Celeste Cemors will experience her first cyclone in Townsville tonight and is nervously awaiting Kirrily’s landfall.

The young backpacker is mostly worried the roof of her accommodation would “take off”.

“Never have we been in a cyclone,” she said.

“I am worried about the roof taking off, that is my big problem.

“On a scared scale of one to ten, I am like an 8.”

Ms Cemors is staying along the foreshore and will face the water as the cyclone approaches.

“My boyfriend and I will stay inside and go upstairs if we need to,” she said.

“We bought water and some bread and jam in case the electricity goes off.”

A Townsville house is boarded up with windows in preparation for Cyclone Kirrily. Picture: Getty Images

Tourist Kylie Wallice said it felt “a bit like Covid” as she stocked up on alcohol, movies, snacks and games for her family.

“We were in Yeppoon for Jasper, we got blown away there,” she said.

The family of six have been travelling in a caravan since September, making their way to Townsville from Western Australia and were preparing to hole up at The Tasman Caravan park overnight.

“We thought about heading up to Cairns and then thought, nah we’ll hang around,” she said.

“This is our first cyclone.

“We’ve all moved into cabins and moved out caravans together.

“As long as nothing gets broken and no one gets hurt, bring it on.”

Townsville resident Michael Wood starting to really prepare for Cyclone Kirrily which is due to hit tonight. Picture: Adam Head

Chief forecaster for Higgins Storm Chasing Thomas Hinterdorfer said modelling was now showing Tropical Cyclone Kirrily would make landfall as a category three cyclone.

At the moment, TC Kirrily is sitting 225km east of Townsville as a category two system, with 155km/h wind gusts and sustained winds near the centre reaching 110km/h.

“Conditions will rapidly deteriorate after sunset,” Mr Hinterdorfer said.

“Convection is much stronger on the northern side of the system – and then after it makes landfall, the better activity will on the east of the system.”

Rainfall eased by midmorning but was replaced by an uptick in winds.

Those in the immediate impact zone received a text message alert at 10.10am, warning that damaging gusts would arrive from 2pm.

Residents have been advised to stay indoors and off the roads from this afternoon and listen to their local radio or keep an eye on councils disaster dashboard for cyclone updates.