Gold Coast City first ever offer of free checks for homes to prepare for major weather events

Gold Coast homeowners can now access free resilience assessments to help better prepare their properties for extreme weather. How to get involved:

Gold Coast homeowners at risk in extreme weather events will receive a free onsite assessment of their properties as part of a new City-wide program.

Mayor Tom Tate, who launched the Household Resilience Ratings Program on Tuesday, said the Coast was more resilient after council had removed large trees near power lines following Cyclone Alfred.

He said the City would get experts to undertake assessments on 40 properties and roll out an app which enables another 1000 residents to conduct their own checks.

“And then from there we can reassess and employ additional resources. It will be ones where the debris came down with Alfred and the summer before,” he said.

The program is being rolled out with the Resilient Building Council.

Meanwhile, council is continuing to work with Energex to remove large trees around utilities like water and sewer treatment stations.

“We are more prepared. If Alfred is here again, apart from the strong winds, the utilities will withstand the level of Alfred,” the Mayor said.

Mr Tate said it was important the City had a clearer picture of the resilience of homes

across the Gold Coast and identified where improvements could be made.

“As natural hazard risks increase so does the need for proactive action. More resilient homes

means reduced damage, faster recovery and safer communities,” he said.

“This program does two things. Firstly it provides individuals with the information they need to strengthen and prepare their homes against natural hazards.

Main Beach on the Gold Coast still showing the impact of Cyclone Alfred, three months after the weather event caused severe erosion along the northern beaches,

“Secondly it allows us a clearer picture of the state of our City in terms of residential property preparedness and resilience and how likely they are to withstand different event types.”

Mr Tate said the properties would be chosen against selection criteria prioritising homes

exposed to multiple natural hazards including flooding, bushfire, severe storms and cyclones.

“And we want to represent a diverse range of housing types, construction methods and building ages to ensure we have a full picture,” he said.

The program once rolled out includes:

* Stage 1 — free on-site expert assessments for 40 homes

* Stage 2 — free self-assessments using an app for 1000 homes.

* Tailored Resilience Ratings reports showing how homes perform against multiple

hazards, and what upgrades will make the biggest impact.

* Expert guidance on how to improve homes along with workshops and resources for homeowners, landlords, trades and community groups

Greenheart and the Parklands two days after Cyclone Alfred crossed the coast. The hardstand areas were protected.

In its June budget, council introduced a one-off $10 disaster management fee to deal with big weather events.

The Christmas storm which ripped through the city’s north in 2023 was as strong as a Category 2 cyclone, causing $1.8bn in damage.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate surveying damage to the city in the aftermath of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred. Picture: Supplied

Earlier this year Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred caused a $1.2bn hit to Queensland’s economy, with the greatest impact on the Gold Coast.

In June, this masthead first revealed the full restoration of the Coast’s beaches is forecast to take up to three long years after the city was battered by the strongest waves in three decades during the cyclone.

Residents in the north of the Gold Coast were better prepared for Cyclone Alfred, while those in the south needed the most help, new data and community feedback showed.

Mapping released by the council showed the entire region was smashed by the cyclone.

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Originally published as Gold Coast City first ever offer of free checks for homes to prepare for major weather events