‘Nervous and uncertain’: Gold Coasters prepare for Cyclone Alfred worst-case scenario

At-risk Gold Coasters are securing houses and businesses ahead of “the most severe weather event in more than 70 years” with widespread flooding expected for big parts of the tourism capital.

Residents in Gold Coast suburbs expected to bear the brunt of the city’s most severe weather event in more than 70 years are leaving anything to chance as Tropical Cyclone Alfred looms off the coastline.

Over the past 24-hours at Paradise Point emergency services have gone door-to-door warning residents to prepare their homes or considering leaving.

Worst case scenario flood modelling shows the suburb could be inundated with water from Oceania Way in the north to Errol Ave in the South and west to Thrush Ave.

“I only really found out about it yesterday and there seems to be a lot of panicking,” resident Terry Butler said.

“I’ve bought some food and stocked up at the supermarket.”

A worker tapes the windows at a Labrador service station.

Windows boarded up and a generator on standby at Paradise Point Bowls Club.

Closer to the shore line, Sharon Wright and her family are hoping they’ll just be high enough to escape the water.

“We’re up at the end (of Paradise Point). I saw the flood map and we’re OK,” she said.

“I’m not overly concerned – my husband and I will just sit tight with the dogs.”

The Paradise Point Bowls club has brought a generator and has boarded up windows.

Christine Edwards of Paradise Point, talks about how she feels about approach of Cyclone Alfred on Wednesday March 5, 2023. Photo: Kathleen Skene

Nearby resident Christine Edwards said she had been scheduled for an elective surgery on Thursday, and was yet to hear if it was going ahead.
“I’m supposed to be going into hospital tomorrow for a hip replacement,” she said.

“I’d rather it was cancelled to be honest, I wouldn’t like to be in the middle of my surgery and everything goes off.

“I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.”

Staff of Nine Lives Barber Shop and Ivy real estate agency were shovelling sand into plastic bags in an effort to protect their small businesses from the forecast floodwaters.

Taj Pearce, Ethan Thomas, Jason Widdows and Franklin Calugay help prepare sandbags to protect businesses at Paradise Point ahead of Cyclone Alfred on Wednesday March 5, 2023. Photo: Kathleen Skene

In neighbouring Coombabah, homeowners Stuart Castricum says he’ll be closely watching the creek, flood mapping has his property in the clear but its his neighbours he is concerned about.

“I’m definitely prepared. It is a big storm, it’s one to be mindful of,” Mr Castricum.

“You don’t know what’s really coming but I think the house is sturdy, no water ingress I hope, I should be pretty right.”

Police helping to relocate rough sleepers ahead of the severe weather.

Police were out in number at local parks speaking with rough sleepers and helping them to relocate to temporary accommodation. Businesses are also not leaving it to chance, taping up windows with wind gusts already starting to increase by lunchtime.

Further south, Jen Masters lives in a high rise on Main Beach and is concerned the building’s old age combined with its thin windows and exposed southern front puts her residence at increased risk.

“I bought some masking tape for my windows because this building is 50 years old, and the glass is not good.

“In case my windows do smash, I’ve taken my glass bits and pieces away. These windows are just so thin I am worried about them smashing if it’s a strong one.”

Ms Masters remembers the last cyclone in 1974, her mum and dad putting her and her two sisters under the dining room table and covering it up with a big blanket for the whole cyclone experience.

Emotions are “excited but a little bit nervous”, Ms Masters checking in on her father, “getting him organised as he’s elderly, getting all of his furniture off his balcony and mine as well.”

Gold Coast gets ready for Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Currumbin business manager Liam Priestley concerned about what's coming. . Picture Glenn Hampson

Gold Coast gets ready for Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Jen Masters keeping an eye on the weather from her Main Beach unit. Picture Glenn Hampson

Further down the coast, manager at Ayres Consulting on the Currumbin beachfront Liam Priestly is preparing to sandbag the business up in preparation for huge swells.

“The council will be dropping off some sandbags soon, so mostly getting those done, maybe moving a bit of furniture, strapping down everything that’s a bit loose.

“I’m a Currumbin local too. Preparations from me will mostly be just cleaning gutters, taking out the bins, making sure everything is inside and obviously preparing with food water all that stuff.

“Everyone’s a bit uncertain at the moment however I think at the same time everyone’s taking the right steps to ensure that you’re doing the right thing, not being completely oblivious to it and saying ‘it’s just another storm’”.

Not everyone is concerned however, manager of beachfront cafe Montmarte in Surfer’s Paradise Celine Maines said “basically at the moment we don’t have any preparations yet. The only thing we’re not sure about is if we’re going to open tomorrow or not. It’s still the owner’s call but it depends on what’s gonna happen later tonight.”

Ms Maines said that in her home country of the Philippines tropical cyclones like Alfred are more common and people are generally better prepared because of it.

“It’s probably because Australians are not really used to it. That’s why they really have to be prepared. In my country we’re used to this. We have stocked food at home in case, cans are the most important thing not perishable food.”

Originally published as ‘Nervous and uncertain’: Gold Coasters prepare for Cyclone Alfred worst-case scenario