For today’s updates in Brisbane and surrounds as they come to hand, follow us here.
For today’s updates in Brisbane and surrounds as they come to hand, follow us here.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is confident the cyclone and flood damage can be repaired in a matter of weeks due to long term efforts to make the region more resilient.
Keen to ensure tourists keep visiting the glitter strip, Tate said beach planting and artificial reefs had avoided larger scale erosion and work was under way to restore public infrastructure, services and amenities.
“With our recovery, we will send a message out that the City of the Gold Coast … will be ready to make sure that we welcome back Aussie tourists for the April holidays so that we don’t face economic disaster as a result of Alfred,” Tate said.
At the northern end of the Gold Coast, communities are still flooded and Tate said Jacobs Well remained cut off. However, the water is receding and rain has eased.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told reporters the government wanted to send a message to tourists, investors and migrants that “this state is open for business”.
Crisafulli vowed to make affected areas more resilient and Queensland an “even better place to live”.
Buses are running on a Sunday timetable today, which disrupted the morning commute, but on Wednesday will be back to normal.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said extra services would be running on busy routes for the afternoon commute before regular timetables resumed on Wednesday.
“Each day we have been working to deliver more services until our bus network is back to normal,” Schrinner said, noting that people should continue to refer to the Translink website for updates.
“It was a tremendous effort from our drivers to have buses running in Brisbane while there were no rail services and limited buses in other parts of south-east Queensland.
“To be able to return to full bus services so quickly is a result of getting prepared and then having a plan to fast-track our recovery.
“I want to thank residents for their patience while we did our best to get buses back up and running again to keep Brisbane moving.”
Parking inspectors will also be out in force on Wednesday to clear the way for traffic.
Ticketmaster has responded to fan complaints regarding refunds for veteran UK band New Order’s Riverstage concert tonight.
Despite paying extra for refundable tickets, many fans say they have been told they do not meet the criteria for a refund even though their travel plans have been affected by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.
Ticketholder Jane Rigby-White said she had bought secure (refundable) tickets through Ticketmaster but still could not obtain a refund. She also joined calls for the event to be rescheduled.
“My daughter, who has physical disabilities, was supposed to be coming with me but she is in northern NSW and unable to get to Brisbane for the event,” she told Brisbane Times.
“So many people have been adversely impacted by the weather events and unable to get to the concert.
“A call to cancel the concert would have been in the interest of public safety.”
A Ticketmaster spokesperson said that as transport and parking was available, the show would go ahead.
“The venue and promoter have confirmed that New Order will go ahead as planned at Riverstage, and fans are ensured that transport and parking will be made available for all attendees,” they said.
“Fans can reach out to the promoter with any further concerns.”
With NAPLAN scheduled to begin from tomorrow for students across the country, some schools in Queensland’s south-east have been given an extension on testing dates.
Premier David Crisafulli said this morning the decision to reopen schools that were affected by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred had been awarded to principals.
“Our overarching principle is the moment it’s safe, the moment there is power back on, kids go back to school,” he said.
Around 360 state schools had reopened from today, with more than 50 per cent of students across the state in classrooms.
“NAPLAN is due tomorrow, so [for] any of the schools that aren’t impacted it’s business as usual,” Crisafulli said.
“There are some schools that are still without power, many with trees on buildings … [NAPLAN] will be [starting] Monday for those affected schools, but that’s a case-by-case basis.”
More than 400 schools remain closed across the state, including 111 Catholic and independent schools.
Eighty per cent of the beach on the Gold Coast is gone, and anyone who takes a swim in the murky ocean risks a fine of $16,000, as the mop-up ramps up in earnest.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said ex-tropical cyclone Alfred had already washed most of the city’s beaches into the ocean, but that a dredge is already booked to replenish the vast volumes of sand that have been washed into the sea.
Damaged coastal infrastructure such as surf life-saving platforms and fences must also be repaired before full access to the beach can be granted, but Tate says he is committed to returning the beaches to health in time for the Easter school holidays.
“When it comes to the Easter holiday in April, please come and visit us. Visit Queensland,” Tate said while addressing media in the heart of Surfers Paradise.
The beach below remains mostly empty, and the waters are and choppy and brown.
Tate said it is not yet safe to swim, but that he hopes the beach could be reopened as soon as tomorrow.
“We’re watching the debris, we’re testing the water, because the water at the moment’s very dirty. My gut feel it could be open tomorrow, and so we’ll see how quickly we work. But then again, Mother Nature is another thing.”
Residents of the inner-city suburb of New Farm were out on the riverside paths this morning, exercising and getting back to normal life as it hit high tide.
CityCats and other watercraft remained docked, as debris floated down the swollen, brown river.
But Watermark, the sculpture by Richard Tipping on the riverbank near the Powerhouse, was safely above the waterline, and the cafe on the building’s lower was open for business.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is confident the cyclone and flood damage can be repaired in a matter of weeks due to long term efforts to make the region more resilient.
Keen to ensure tourists keep visiting the glitter strip, Tate said beach planting and artificial reefs had avoided larger scale erosion and work was under way to restore public infrastructure, services and amenities.
“With our recovery, we will send a message out that the City of the Gold Coast … will be ready to make sure that we welcome back Aussie tourists for the April holidays so that we don’t face economic disaster as a result of Alfred,” Tate said.
At the northern end of the Gold Coast, communities are still flooded and Tate said Jacobs Well remained cut off. However, the water is receding and rain has eased.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told reporters the government wanted to send a message to tourists, investors and migrants that “this state is open for business”.
Crisafulli vowed to make affected areas more resilient and Queensland an “even better place to live”.
Trains in Brisbane are running to Sunday timetables. However, the Cleveland and Doomben Lines are not operating, and replacement rail buses are in operation.
Some bus services remain offline while crews undertake critical repairs and clean-up work. Buses are operating to a Sunday timetable, and school services are operating.
On the Gold Coast, limited bus services are running to a Sunday timetable.
Ipswich (Logan Coaches) and Ipswich (Westside) buses are running as normal with some diversions.
Bus services have resumed in Logan, Redlands, Toowoomba and on the Sunshine Coast, but on a reduced timetable, with customers advised to check for updates.
Lockyer Valley buses remain suspended.
Brisbane River ferries, including CityCats, remain suspended because of debris.
Southern Moreton Bay Island ferries are operating today during daylight hours.
Gold Coast trams run between Helensvale and Gold Coast University Hospital stations every 15 minutes. Services remain suspended between Gold Coast University Hospital and Broadbeach South stations.
“It obviously is a moving feast,” Premier David Crisafulli said.
Check Translink for the latest updates.
Premier David Crisafulli has announced communities north of Brisbane affected by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred can access financial support packages from today.
“Just moments ago the federal government has agreed to [include] affected areas of the Fraser Coast and Moreton Bay council area,” said Crisafulli.
He added the focus had shifted to reopening the south-east for interstate tourism to ease impact on businesses forced to close or clean up after the weather event.
“Our focus is squarely on recovery … We need to make sure people know this state is open for business.”
For more information about financial assistance for those left without essential needs, such as food or clothing, or essential services – including those left without power for five days – residents can use the state government’s online portal, or call 1800 173 349.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has been briefed on the disaster in the south-east, as flooded rivers start to recede after days of heavy rain.
“I reckon this is the best briefing we’ve had as a state for a little while,” Crisafulli told reporters on the Gold Coast.
“And I want this community, and I want the broader region, and indeed all of the state, (to) know that we are determined to make sure that there is zero daylight between response and recovery.”
Crisafulli said three-quarters of power outages had been resolved, essential workers had support from colleagues sent from interstate, and there were no flood emergency calls overnight.
He said there were more than 1000 SES personnel in the field, including volunteers from interstate.
“The swift water rescues were the difference between life and death for some areas … They gave people hope in a really difficult time.”
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has called a media conference to give an update on the response and recovery after ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.
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