Kangaroos on the move as mayor voices fears for Bribie, Caloundra
The Sunshine Coast mayor has warned low-lying areas of Caloundra are at risk after the second breakthrough of Bribie Island. A new video shows kangaroos might know something.
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Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli has urged residents in one of the region’s areas of concern not to become complacent as Tropical Cyclone Alfred slowly makes its way to the coastline.
On Thursday afternoon Ms Natoli said following Bribie Island’s breakthrough, Golden Beach had become a “major area of concern”.
“We recommend you stay with family but if that is not possible, evacuate to one of our centres if you feel your home is at risk,” Ms Natoli said.
“Don’t get complacent as the situation can still be serious.
“It hasn’t been ruled out that the cyclone could drift further north and hit us instead, especially with the loop it did last night.”
Caloundra resident Glen Turnbull captured video showing kangaroos on the move from north Bribie Island.
“Escaping North Bribie and heading to Happy Valley. Do they know something we don’t?”
“It’s actually quite tame, but it will change later today and tonight for sure,’’ Mr Turnbull said of the wind and weather.
TC Alfred is about 200km off the coast and is expected to cross about 4am on Saturday, around Bribie Island.
Residents of Caloundra’s low-lying suburbs have been on high alert over the past few days with one expert saying Tropical Cyclone Alfred holds potential to bring never-before-seen flooding without the protection of Bribie Island.
Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body spokeswoman Jen Kettleton-Butler pointed to the waves along Kings Beach, saying they could increase in size close to a record at six or seven metres in the coming 48 hours.
See the latest advice for the Sunshine Coast
She said these waves could generate a storm surge, which would drive water towards Golden Beach and other vulnerable suburbs.
Ms Kettleton-Butler said water from the ocean could meet water on land from rainfall, meaning it would move upwards to cause flooding.
These areas will face the cyclone without the natural protection of Bribie Island, as suburbs would have had in past weather events.
A second breakthrough of Bribie Island began yesterday and was captured on spectacular footage by Bluey’s Photography.
Ms Kettleton-Butler said Tropical Cyclone Alfred had the potential to be the most significant event to hit the area since records began.
“We’re desperately worried about a level of flooding down there at Golden Beach that has never been seen before and indeed by life threatening,” Ms Kettleton-Butler said.
She said if the cyclone were to hit closer south towards Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Moreton Island would buffer some of the swell and help protect the Caloundra area.
“There will still be a storm surge, there’s no doubt about it,” she said.
Ms Kettleton-Butler advised residents to be on high alert, particularly in low-lying areas of Golden Beach and Diamond Head.
“I would have a very low threshold for evacuating and that means thinking about it right now,” she said.
In the worst case scenario, Caloundra could witness a 4m storm surge, she said.
“If I was in Golden Beach right now, I would seriously be thinking about getting my stuff together and be ready to evacuate,” Ms Kettleton-Butler said.
Second Bribie Island breakthrough starts
The first moments of a second breakthrough on the tip of Bribie Island has been recorded as fears for Golden Beach continue to grow with Cyclone Alfred making its way towards land.
In the footage uploaded to social media by Bluey’s Photography, a channel has started to form at the tip of Bribie Island.
The swell, generated as Cyclone Alfred continues tracking towards land, is flowing over the island and is pushing down trees.
The latest tracking information on March 4 shows Cyclone Alfred is expected to turn west on Tuesday afternoon before making landfall somewhere between Brisbane and Noosa overnight on Thursday or early Friday.
The cyclone is expected to reinstify to a category two system as it makes landfall.
Yesterday, incredible drone footage showed Bribie Island being smashed by huge swell generated by Tropical Cyclone Alfred as fears increase for Golden Beach ahead of the weather system making landfall.
Bluey’s Photography captured large waves pummelling the tip of the island, and stirring up dark-coloured sand the same colour as the coffee rock that dots the coastline.
Swell over the island
Last weekend, a gale warning was issued for the Sunshine Coast, with winds reaching 25-35 knots and swells between 3-5m, making for hazardous conditions at sea.
As the swell increases, so too does fears that the sandbar may not protect the usually idyllic Golden Beach on the other side of the Pumicestone Passage.
At the weekend, the Caloundra Coast Guard shared footage of water at one stage surging about a metre deep over a 300m section of what it calls Bribie Island south.
“The only thing protecting us at the moment is the sandbar, or the island itself, it’s the only thing protecting Golden Beach,” a Coast Guard spokesman said.
“As you can see that protection is very quickly going away.”
“It won’t be long and all of this infrastructure on Golden Beach is going to be absolutely inundated.”
The Caloundra Power Boat Club has water lapping at it during high tide and sandbagging preparations are being made to protect the building.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli addressed media at the Nambour Council Chambers on Monday with an update regarding Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
She said the council was also concerned about “low lying coastal area suburbs” that were most at risk.
“We are also looking now to Golden Beach and Pelican Waters because we know it’s also a different situation since the breakthrough of Bribie Island,” she said.
“It’s the first time we’ve had this kind of an event since a breakthrough in Bribie and that’s why we are seeing that significant concern for that low-lying area.”
She said the cyclone had decreased in intensity and was back to a category one.
Ms Natoli said the current modelling suggested the cyclone would track towards and hit the Sunshine Coast later in the week on Thursday.
Ms Natoli said it was important for Sunshine Coast locals to be prepared and stay up to date with the latest news regarding the cyclone.
In her entire career as a weather reader on the Sunshine Coast Ms Natoli said she had not seen the possibility of a cyclone like this which would affect so many locals.
“There are communities here that are facing this risk for the first time,” she said.
Ms Natoli said locals should ensure they have enough food, water, and back up power options.
She said to ensure all loose items in backyards, that all boats are anchored, and to avoid the water.
“All Sunshine Coast Beaches are now closed,” she said.
Ms Natoli said vulnerable people such as the local homeless community were encouraged to visit their local community centres.
Campers are being told to leave Noosa and Noosa beaches are also closed.
Sunshine Coast Police Superintendent Craig Hawkins told media on Monday it was time for people to prepare for the impending weather system, particularly low lying areas at Golden Beach and Pelican Waters along with those on canal estates.
“Those areas through storm surge and inundation are likely to see the consequences of this cyclone and we urge those people to make the necessary preparations in readiness for the cyclone,” Superintendent Hawkins said.
The senior cop said they were also watching a break in Bribie Island and the effects it would have on Golden Beach.
When asked whether caravaners and campers should follow Noosa’s lead, including those at holiday parks Cotton Tree and Caloundra, Superintendent Hawkins said it was a “wise decision”.
“We’re going to see high winds, we’re going to see rain, water … wave action, it would be very uncomfortable for a person that might be in a caravan or certainly uncomfortable for anyone that’s camping,” he said.
“Absolutely I encourage them potentially start looking alternative options.”
Superintendent Hawkins said the future of the Mooloolaba Triathlon event this weekend, two days after the cyclone is predicted to strike, was for council to decide however police were assisting. He was unsure if a final decision had been made.
The seasoned cop said it was going to be a dangerous storm and believed it would be “extremely risky” and “extremely dangerous” to be out in the ocean and the beach. He hoped people would pay attention to the warnings.
The swell has also exposed the old pool at Kings Beach in Caloundra, with the blue tiled structure unearthed in the erosion.
Cars are also lining up at the SES depot in Ulm St South, Caloundra, as residents wait for sandbags.
Hair specialist and single mum Brony Fullarton said she came to grab “half a dozen bags” for a section of her house that floods.
“But there’s a lot of oldies here on their own who don’t have any help so I’ve jumped on the shovel for an hour to help out,” she said.
Another resident, Matt Harvey, said he was at the depot collecting sandbags to protect the front and back of his house near the beach.
“It looks like we’re going to be directly underneath the path of the storm,” he said.
Tay Ave in Caloundra is copping gale force winds as sand blasts across the streets.
Shop owners and residents are bunkering down with shops closed.
The second sandbagging point at Lighthouse Rugby Union Club in Caloundra had again run out of sand on the afternoon of March 3.
SES workers recommend using weighted tarps against the bottom of doors, weighted down with anything that comes to hand, if sandbags cannot be found.
At the weekend, the Mooloolaba Coast Guard had also advised boaties to exercise extreme caution, especially near low tide, as large swells continue to impact the entrance to the river.
A video posted to their Facebook page captured challenging conditions as a pilot boat navigated through the choppy surf, along with footage of large swells breaking across the entrance.
Authorities are urging residents to prepare for severe coastal hazards, including abnormally high tides and a large, powerful easterly swell that could cause dangerous surf and erosion.
Earlier, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has encouraged the community to check in on elderly family members, friends, and neighbours to ensure they have necessary supplies and support.
“We are not at a critical point yet, but it’s always good to be prepared,” the council statement said.
Potential impacts of the severe weather include:
Strong winds capable of bringing down trees and powerlines.
Power, phone, internet, and water service disruptions.
Heavy rainfall and storm surges leading to localised flooding.
Road closures due to fallen trees, powerlines, or floodwaters.
Noosa Council has also issued warnings, urging residents to prepare their properties and remain informed as conditions evolve.
It has also activated its local disaster control centre and council-owned parks at North Shore, Boreen Point and the Noosa River are closed with campers and caravaners being told to move on.
It has also opened up sandbagging points across the Noosa region.
Volunteers from Coolum Coast Care have been relocating nests of endangered Loggerhead turtles that are at risk of being washed away on Castaways Beach.
Beachgoer Lucy Groningen said volunteers were working through heavy rain this morning to rescue the precious eggs.
On another Facebook page, Joshua Ross posted a video from the Woorim Beach entrance of Bribie Island recorded about 10pm yesterday, warning people they would not be able to get on the beach.
He shared a video showing rocks and debris where he said the track once was.
For the latest weather updates and safety information, visit the BOM website www.bom.gov.au, Sunshine Coast Council Disaster Hub disaster.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au, or Noosa Council Disaster Dashboard disaster.noosa.qld.gov.au.
In case of emergencies, residents can contact the SES on 132 500.
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Originally published as Kangaroos on the move as mayor voices fears for Bribie, Caloundra
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