Cyclone Kirrily Gold Coast: Mayor Tom Tate winds back previous warning

Mayor Tom Tate Tom Tate has wound back the disaster warning for the Gold Coast from Cyclone Kirrily, saying he no longer believed it would reach the city in the near future.

• Kirrily upgraded to Category 3 with 170km/h wind warnings

Mayor Tom Tate Tom Tate has wound back the disaster warning for the Gold Coast from Cyclone Kirrily.

The tropical cyclone has been upgraded to a category 2 as it accelerates toward the north Queensland coast, about 225km east-north east of Townsville.

The Bureau of Meteorology has it tracking, once it hits the coast, west through Charters Towers and Hughenden.

It was expected to cross as a Category 3 system overnight on Thursday, before weakening on Friday as it moves over the northern interior and parts of western Queensland.

Mr Tate at the council chambers on Thursday said the City had wound back its disaster management level from critical level three to level one. Sand bags are still available for residents.

GOLD COAST Queensland

“It’s so that our officers can take a break. My view is the cyclone won’t come all the way down to us in the very near future,” he said.

“The wind, of course, will disturb the beaches. It will rain on Saturday and Sunday. My only warning is the ground is still moist, there is still a lot of debris around.

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily intensified into a Category 3 system at 3pm on Thursday.

“When it does rain, be aware that flash flooding can occur a lot quicker than normal. If it’s flooded, forget it, don’t even try to go there, half way through you will get additional water and you are stuck.”

Mr Tate said he was relieved that officers “can all have a bit of sleep” given the workload since the New Year.

TUESDAY: MAYOR’S FEARS OVER KIRRILY

Mayor Tom Tate has warned that storm-weary Gold Coast citizens need to prepare for the possibility the city will be smashed by Tropical Cyclone Kirrily on Australia Day.

In a sombre briefing at council’s Disaster Management Centre on Tuesday, Mayor Tate said the city was at “response level three” and would be opening sandbag stations amid fears that Kirrily could bring torrential rain and destructive winds to the Gold Coast.

He said council would consider cancelling citizenship ceremonies to ensure the safety of residents, and recommended people made plans for the worst if weather forecasts did not change.

“As far as our disaster management centre is concerned we’re now on response level three. It means all hands on deck,” he said.

“We are watching the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) very closely. It appears that it can arrive here late Friday.

“So our sandbag stations will be open Thursday lunchtime at Coomera, Tugun and Burleigh Heads.

“We have been down the path before, we’re looking back on ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald back in 2013. A cyclone Category 3 can maintain a high level all the way to the Gold Coast. So as far as our preparedness is concerned, getting ready, we’ll be assuming that until it loses strength, that Category 3 will head towards us.

“In getting ready our management team will be ready should the cyclone hit our city.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate briefs media on the likely impact of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily at council's disaster management centre in Ashmore. Picture: Keith Woods.

According to BOM forecasts, Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expected to cross the Queensland coast late Thursday between Cardwell and ­Airlie Beach as a Category 3, bringing with it up to a metre of rain.

“In the longer term, the system is likely to track inland and south as a deep tropical low bringing heavy to intense rain to parts of central, western and southern Queensland,” the Bureau said.

Mayor Tate warned that should the cyclone reach the Gold Coast, the impact would be magnified as a result of the devastating storm that hit the city on Christmas Day.

“Should this severe weather get close to the Gold Coast, be aware that since Christmas we have has a backlog of debris. So it won’t take long to have flash flooding, quicker than normal,” he said.

“So if you see that the storm is going to hit, please avoid going out, do your shopping early.”

Mayor Tate added that the city would be in contact with Seqwater about whether water needed to be released from Hinze Dam in the event that the worst forecasts came to pass.

“(The catchments) won’t cope well. Normally it can absorb quite a bit of rain. I note that the downpour that has been forecast hitting the state is up to a metre,” he said.

“We’re going to have to look at our dam level, we’re up 100 per cent. We’ll be talking to Seqwater regarding should water be released early in the day so that we can cover that part of it.”

Mayor Tate said council was considering calling off Australia Day events including citizenship ceremonies, with a final decision to be made on Thursday.

“The weather comes first. And if we’re heading into disaster, some ceremonies that are outdoor, we will be cancelling them. Not because of the debate about Australia Day, it’s about safety,” he said.

“Even some indoor ceremonies, if it means that people have to travel there, to citizenship ceremonies, I would rather have that postponed. I know it’s wonderful to become an Australian citizen on Australia Day, but only if it’s safe.

“At the moment I would say Thursday will be the day that we have to make our move.”

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