Tropical Cyclone Alfred: Gold Coast continues to be battered by wet weather, flash flooding and wind
With the Gold Coast enduring another rough 24 hours, a crew down at Pam Beach has endeared itself to the community by churning out free mushroom curries and pulled pork to cyclone affected locals.
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Updated: On Sunday, the main drag at Palm Beach was pumping – and it wasn’t just because both Coles and the Palm Beach Hotel were open for business.
It was, in part, because of a relative newcomer to the community, Scott’s Luncheonette & Bar, which opened in mid 2024, putting on free meals all weekend in the Gold Coast’s hour of need.
And it wasn’t just cold cuts and Woolies mud cake: we are talking your choice of slow-cooked pulled pork, mushroom curry, or toasted sandwich.
Business owner Bhavin Patel said it was during a previous blackout he realised how important meeting places such as restaurants could be when times were tough, and what a hot meal can do to warm the spirits.
He said the uptake during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been incredible.
“We have almost gone through 30kg of basmati rice, 10kg of pulled pork, 10kg of mushrooms,” Mr Patel said.
He said he was a big believer in the karmic deal: what you give is what you get returned.
“Maybe sometime people will help us if we need,” he said.
“It’s give and take.”
The hot meals have been gratefully accepted by hundreds, including Proserpine resident Kurt Smart, who has been living rough at Palm Beach since March 6, when his flight home was cancelled.
“They’ve been helping me out, let me charge my phone, use the toilet,” he said.
“They’ve been really busy – last night [Saturday] it was packed, and this morning they opened at 8.30am.”
There was plenty of love for Scott’s Luncheonette online, too.
“[It] tastes insane and is truly made with love – you can tell,” wrote Cassidy Collings.
“[They are the] sweetest, most genuine people providing full bellies to anyone who needs a meal in these wild times.”
Damaged trees dangle over powerlines as battering continues
Earlier: The Gold Coast continues to be battered by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, with wet weather causing flooding and damaging trees across the city.
At Helensvale, low-lying sections of Siganto Drive flooded. A number of parked vehicles were trapped by the floodwater, while video showed tow truck crews working to remove a car partially submerged on the roadway.
At Biggera Waters, three Norfolk Pine damaged by the high winds tipped over, resting on powerlines over Marine Parade.
The road is impassible.
One came perilously close to impacting on a residential block of flats, but was held up at the last gasp by power lines.
The destruction was not limited to land: several boats have broken free of their moorings and either overturn or been sent crashing into neighbouring vessels.
More than 100,000 properties remain without power, with many traffic signals still out.
Early on Sunday morning, McDonald’s Labrador - looking a bit worse for wear, with two roof leaks being managed with buckets - was doing roaring trade.
Several families could be seen charging their devices while they tucked into some hot food.
People spoke to by this masthead said they were still without power, but holding up well otherwise.
Mitch Thompson, who lives at Durham St, Southport, said he lost power midmorning on Saturday.
“Supply-wise we are doing all right, we went for a drive yesterday [Saturday] and we’re able to get some ice from a petrol station,” he said.
He said his street had largely escaped the storm carnage.
“There’s certainly heaps of debris, a couple of big trees down,” Mr Thompson said.
“Last night we didn’t really hear much, the night before [Friday] was pretty hectic though, we had a bit of flooding in the garage.”
Labrador resident Natasha, who declined to give her surname, said she lost power about 8pm Friday.
“Our supplies are holding up quite well,” she said.
“All in all we’ve actually been okay, it hasn’t been too horrific.
“We’re back from the Broadwater a little bit, so we’ve been more protected than most.”
In northern suburbs that 15 months ago bore the brunt of the destructive Christmas night tornado, the impact has been considerably less severe on this occasion.
There was some local flooding on Sunday morning, including at Siganto Drive, where water was gushing over the road from Saltwater Creek.
However businesses were continuing to operate just a short distance away, including at the Zarraffa’s coffee shop, where a steady stream of cars were lining up at the drive through.
The destruction was not limited solely to sites directly abutting the Broadwater.
On the Gold Coast Highway, at the intersection with Frank St, Broadwater Keys Holiday Apartments has been evacuated, and cordoned off with police tape, after a section of its roof blew off.
From Frank St can be seen two large strips of corrugated roofing, which are making loud noises as they bang and flap against the brick wall.
A car has also been crushed by a tree in the car park adjoining the apartments.
In the Gold Coast’s south flooding has occured in numerous locations, including Heather Street in Tallebudgera.
A watch and act has been issued for residents in Currumbin Valley with the potentially for major flooding over the next hour.
Currumbin Creek is at 46.5 metres and rising with the City of Gold Coast expecting damage to roads and properties.
A further rise of 0.3 metres could result in major flooding occurring.
Properties along Currumbin Creek Rd near Kianga Court and Ridgetop View Park are being warned that the roads may become cut off.
Paradise Point has so far escaped the catastrophic tidal flooding outlined in the worst case scenario on the city’s flood maps.
A higher than normal morning tide brought brackish water across the Esplanade and lower ends of some streets, but homes and businesses appear to have been spared major damage.
More large trees have fallen victim to pelting rain and thundering winds overnight, with parks along the esplanade littered with debris.
Most of the suburb was still without power Sunday morning.
South at Hollywell, several trees on Bayview St not felled in the 2023 storm have succumbed to Alfred, including multiple massive cottonwoods, which have fallen inside the boatyard of luxury yacht builder Riviera.
Despite the mess, roads are busy in the northern suburbs as cabin fever, the power outage or a need for supplies brings people out of their homes.
Woolworths and Aldi supermarkets at Hope Island Marketplace are rammed with shoppers, while petrol stations are also experiencing heavy demand.
At Runaway Bay, First Choice Liquor was open and filling with people grabbing some wet weekend bevvos.
Arborist Nick Robinson of Benowa was grabbing a well-earned bottle of wine.
“I’ve been working the whole time, we’ve been everywhere, on call from Tweed to Brisbane,” he said.
“So yeah, we haven’t stopped, this be my first half day off for about four or five days, but then next week it’ll be straight back to it.”
Flood warning issued for parts of Gold Coast
A flood warning has been issued for the Gold Coast as heavy rainfall continues to batter parts of the city.
High-rise hell: Seniors trapped indefinitely post-Alfred
“I’m out of breath all the time”: Multiple elderly people have been trapped inside a Gold Coast unit block since ex-cyclone Alfred, with freedom still possibly weeks away.