Cyclone Alfred impacts Brisbane to Northern NSW. In March 2025, Tropical Cyclone Alfred struck areas unaccustomed to cyclones, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and northern New South Wales. The storm caused severe disruptions, with over 330,000 homes and businesses losing power.
Authorities issued evacuation warnings to around 20,000 residents in flood-prone areas. More than 1,100 people sought refuge in evacuation centres. Tragically, at least one person was swept away by floodwaters, and several others were reported missing or injured.
While early warnings likely helped reduce casualties, Alfred’s impacts were devastating. Many communities are still recovering from the 2022 floods.
Alfred’s slow movement meant it lashed the coast for several days, bringing high winds and heavy rainfall. Wind gusts over 100 km/h were recorded on the Gold Coast, knocking down trees and power lines. As a result, roughly 330,000 customers lost electricity, marking the largest outage in over a decade.
Rainfall intensities were extreme. Parts of the Gold Coast hinterland saw more than 1,100 mm (over 43 inches) of rain, ranking Alfred among the wettest cyclones on record for Australia. Additionally, widespread totals of 200–400 mm were common along the coast, triggering flash floods. For example, in northern NSW, more than 200 mm fell in 24 hours in the Wilsons River catchment.
This relentless rain led to major river rises. Creeks overflowed, and rivers ran high across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Fortunately, key flood defences held in most places. In contrast, Lismore’s levee, which failed disastrously in 2022, remained intact this time. Meanwhile, in Brisbane, the river peaked at moderate flood levels, below the peaks of 2011 and 2022, sparing the city from a worst-case inundation scenario.
Finally, major flood warnings were issued for multiple rivers across south-east Queensland, and dozens of swift-water rescues were carried out as people were caught in rising waters.
Cyclone Alfred was a rare event for south-east Queensland, being the first cyclone to impact the region so directly in roughly 50 years. The last storm of comparable proximity was Cyclone Zoe in 1974 – the same era as Brisbane’s infamous 1974 floods (caused by Cyclone Wanda).
In terms of rainfall, Alfred’s deluge in the Gold Coast hinterland (1,111 mm) approached Wanda’s rainfall totals (about 1,318 mm at Mount Glorious in 1974). However, improved dams and levees, along with better forecasts, helped prevent a repeat of the 1974 flood disaster in Brisbane.
Recent events also offer comparisons. In 2017, ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie wreaked havoc in similar areas. The Logan and Albert Rivers overflowed, inundating communities south of Brisbane. More recently, the February 2022 floods (from an unprecedented rainstorm) set high-water marks in Brisbane and northern NSW. Although Alfred’s floods were widespread and severe, they did not reach the record flood levels of 2022 in most locations.
Alfred’s legacy will be analysed alongside the 2017 and 2022 events to identify trends. Scientists note that Alfred rapidly grew to a Category 4 system offshore, an unusually intense cyclone for the southern Coral Sea. They believe exceptionally warm ocean temperatures (some of the warmest on record) in the Coral Sea fuelled Alfred’s strength. For Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Alfred underlines the reality that even historically rare cyclones can strike their region, and they bring heightened flood risks when they do.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred, attention has turned to recovery and future risk mitigation. Officials and experts are discussing measures to reduce flood impacts, including upgraded flood mitigation infrastructure, strategic land-use planning, and even relocating or raising at-risk homes.
The Queensland Government’s Resilient Homes Fund has been used by many of our clients to reduce the risk of damage to their property. Our flood modelling has played an important role in advising adequate design criteria for dwelling and property modifications. If you’re planning to utilise the Queensland Government’s Resilient Homes Fund, please contact us so we can discuss likely outcomes.
Being prepared is the best defence. If you need expert guidance on flood planning or stormwater management, contact Storm Water Consulting today.
