Cyclone Alfred: Bribie Island residents face being cut off from mainland

Residents in low-lying areas of Bribie Island could be cut off from the mainland in a worst-case scenario if Tropical Cyclone Alfred arrives during high tide.

Residents in low-lying areas of Bribie Island could be cut off from the mainland as they face inundation, in a worst-case scenario if Tropical Cyclone Alfred arrives during high tide.

Queensland Police Service, City of Moreton Bay and State Emergency Service officers took advantage of the slow-moving system to door-knock almost 200 homes on the island on Thursday.

Council modelling identified more than 170 properties in Bellara, Bongaree and Banksia Beach areas as most vulnerable to a major storm surge from cyclone conditions and high tides.

More than 100 were offered an assisted evacuation from the island to the council’s Caboolture refuge centre.

The 61-year-old Bribie Island bridge will remain open, but Queensland police Acting Chief Superintendent Adam Guild warned residents could be cut off if the structure’s integrity was at risk.

“During a cyclone there is a potential to be impacted by vessels that may lose their moorings and so what we would then do is obviously work to ensure the integrity of that structure,” he said.

City of Moreton Mayor Peter Flannery said the forecast had Tropical Cyclone Alfred passing over Bribie Island which, alongside high tides, could deliver a double whammy of devastation.

“The people in Bribie Island should be aware where they are, the vicinity on the coastline and when that wind comes in,” he said.

“The projection of where the cyclone is going to go is further to the south now which means we’ll be on the north side of that cyclone system, which means our winds decrease a little bit - our storm surge decreases a little bit, but our rain events could increase significantly.

“We’re talking to people to make sure they focus on the rain event, possible flooding, and that would hang over us for up to 12 hours with destructive winds and rain.”

Acting Chief Superintendent Guild said additional police resources have been dispatched to Bribie Island, where the focus would be protecting lives.

“What we are asking is for people to ensure that they finalise their last-minute preparations, that they stay off the roadway, particularly for the next 48 hours, to allow emergency services to respond to events as they unfold,” he said.

“If you don’t need to be on the road, please stay off the road.”

Originally published as Cyclone Alfred: Bribie Island residents face being cut off from mainland