2025 Flood - Cyclone Alfred

Tropical Cyclone Alfred started as a tropical low (originally designated Tropical Low 22U) in the Coral Sea on the 20th February 2025.

On the 22nd it was upgraded to a tropical storm by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) upgrading the system to a category 1 soon after.  It was given the name Alfred.

On the 24th February, as the storm continued its easterly path, it was upgraded to a category 2 tropical cyclone.  As it turned south, on 26th February, the storm was upgraded to a category 3.  On the 25th, Alfred was again upgraded to a category 4.  After flucturating between categories 3 and 4, Alfred was downgraded to a category 1 on March 2nd, before fluctuating between category 1 and 2 for the next three days, as it meandered off the coast.

On the 7th March, Alfred made landfall on Morteon Island, with winds of 75km per hour.  At 6:45am on the 8th March, the cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low as it made its way to the mainland, becoming the first cyclone since Nancy in 1990 to cross into south-east Queensland.

Image: Path of Tropical Cyclone Alfred (image from Wikimedia Commons)

The Bremer River and Warrill Creek catchments:

• Bremer River at Ipswich peaked just below the major flood level around midnight on Monday into Tuesday 
• Warrill Creek at Kalbar was expected to be above the moderate flood level of 9 metres
• Warrill Creek at Harrisville peaked at 5.88 metres around 1:40pm on Monday 10th March
• Warrill Creek at Amberley was expected to peak near 7.80 metres on Tuesday morning with major flooding
• Bremer River at Rosewood peaked at 6.80metres on Monday, above the moderate flood level
• Bremer River at Five Mile Brdige peaked at 8.34 metres around 2:15pm Monday, just below the major flood level
• Bremer River at Walloon peaked at 10.44 metres around 5:20pm

BOM 161.8mm rain fell over 24 hours from 9am on 9th March 2025 with the highest wind gust of 39 km/h recorded at 1:45am (45.2mm in 24 hours from 9am on 8th March 2025)

Ipswich’s positive response and recovery post Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

(This story was first published on Ipswich First, May 2, 2025)

Ipswich dodged the proverbial bullet in terms of major infrastructure damage and impact to sporting fields and facilities from the recent Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred weather event.

Two reports, one presented to council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee and the other to the Community and Sport Committee, have revealed the true extent of damage from the March weather event, which dumped about 250mm of rain across the region over a seven-day period.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the Bremer River peaked at 11.47m on 10 March, just below the “major” flood level allowing many residents to breathe a sigh of relief.

“While unfortunately we had 35 private residences impacted, the overall damage to our communities this time around was not as extensive as 2022,” Mayor Harding said.

“Those impacted were able to apply for financial assistance and personal hardship grants under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

“At a council level, five sporting sites were impacted and 684 potholes repaired across the local road network. There was also damage to our conservation estates, rivers and creeks.

“The level of damage to council-owned sport and recreation assets across the city, while significant, was thankfully not on the same level as floods in 2022.

“We were very fortunate on this occasion that the damage was not more widespread and costly.

“Tropical Cyclone Alfred presented a unique threat to the Ipswich community in that it included a long lead up and unpredictable conditions.”

Ipswich City Council commenced its monitoring and preparations for Tropical Cyclone Alfred on 25 February and officially changed its Local Recovery and Resilience Group status to Stand Down effective Wednesday, 25 March.

“Some communities were more affected than others, with flooding in some low-lying areas as well as power outages affecting about 22 suburbs,” Mayor Harding said.

“The coordinated response from council, police, firies, SES and other emergency services was amazing. They once again combined to see us through what mother nature threw at us.”

Environment and Sustainability Committee Chairperson Councillor Jim Madden said council had worked collaboratively with a variety of state and local agencies to develop and implement the City of Ipswich Local Disaster Management Plan, which guided the broader, multi-agency response to and recovery from Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“Consolidated reporting has continued in order to observe recovery work across the city,” Cr Madden said.

“As of early April, it showed that there were no remaining road or bridge closures, 90 per cent of the unsealed road network had been inspected and 684 potholes repaired.

“A total of 56 parks were inspected and assessed with some level of infrastructure damage. River Heart Parklands and Colleges Crossing still had sections closed.

“In our conservation estates, there were 26 reports of damage, six were minor and 20 moderate.

“Bremer River, Gladstone Road Reserve and Cribb Park revegetation sites sustained erosion and sedimentation damage and loss of plants. Woogaroo Creek, Bremer River and Bundamba Creek project sites were affected.

“Of the private property damage assessments that were undertaken, 355 reported no damage, 32 minor and three moderate.”

Community and Sport Committee Chairperson Councillor Jacob Madsen said many of council’s sporting assets are in known flood zones, with the most recent events of 2022 and less so 2025, causing significant damage to a number of facilities including their built assets and open spaces.

“The damage to these facilities impacts council and the community sporting clubs at various levels including financially, administratively, functionally and in some cases displacement, all of which place pressures on stakeholders to effectively manage and deliver community sport and recreational activities,” Cr Madsen said.

Council manages and or activates 287 active/formal playing spaces across 47 locations totalling 105 fields. Of the 47 locations, council identified 12 sites as being deemed to be at high risk of significant damage caused by rising waters.

“Unlike the 2022 flood event where all of the above sites were inundated by rising water causing damage to fields and built forms, only five sites were impacted as a result of ex-TC Alfred. They were Jim Finimore, Leichhardt; Rotary Park, Bundamba; Anzac Park, Rosewood; Ivor Marsden Sports Complex, Amberley; and Sams Reserve, Redbank Plains.

“Jim Finimore, Rotary and Anzac Parks saw all fields under water with peak levels falling just short of the main club house facilities. Ivor Marsden Sports Complex had partial field flooding resulting in damage to the fence line on Baxter Oval only, with the turf block remaining fit for play.

“About 300m of the chain link fence line at Rotary Park was damaged that will require replacement. Electrical supply was interrupted to all sites resulting in the loss of power to tower lights, with minimal impact to club houses and associated infrastructure.”

In an effort to assist with council’s repair schedule in the immediate aftermath of ex-TC Alfred, council emailed all clubs a damage assessment form. Sixteen clubs returned these reports requesting some level of assistance. Reported damage included building leaks, blocked drains, tripped switch boards, foliage debris, potholes and torn shade sails.

The exact financial cost of Alfred-related damage across Ipswich has yet to be determined. Council is applying for Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets funding.