How Townsville's back-to-back disasters can help every Queenslander get ready

Since Townsville faced two ‘once-in-a-century’ floods just five years apart it’s become clear that extreme weather events aren't waiting their turn anymore. The city's experience during and up to the brutal 2024-25 wet season has offered powerful lessons for every Queenslander living with cyclones, floods, and severe storms.

If you've ever wondered whether you and your family are truly ready for Queensland's wild weather, Townsville's story shows exactly what preparation looks like when it really counts, and there are lessons in there for all of us.

Two major disasters in six years

Townsville sits in one of Australia's most disaster-prone regions. The Coral Sea, tropical climate, and a growing population create a perfect storm of risk factors:

• Cyclones tracking down from the Torres Strait

• Storm tides pushing seawater inland

• Monsoonal flooding from catchments that can't cope

• Bushfires during the dry season

• Heatwaves that test infrastructure and health services.

The numbers say it all. Townsville endured major weather events in:

• 1971: Cyclone Althea exposed weaknesses in older buildings

• 2011: Cyclone Yasi brought destructive winds and coastal flooding

• 2019: Monsoonal rains triggered major flooding across thousands of homes

• 2024: Cyclone Kirrily started the longest, most intense wet season in recent memory

• 2025: North Queensland Tropical Low brought major, repeated flooding to Townsville communities.

That's five major events in around 50 years – and the gaps between them are getting shorter.

The wake-up call

Australia Day Weekend 2024 marked the beginning of what became an epic test of community resilience. Tropical Cyclone Kirrily peaked as Category 3 system and then crossed the coast as a Category 1 cyclone about 50kms north of Townsville. It dumped over a metre of rain in some areas and leaving thousands without power.

But Kirrily was just the beginning. In February 2025 it was Townsville’s turn again, with a slow-moving tropical low that seemed to park itself over North Queensland. The already saturated ground from a decent wet season couldn't absorb another drop, and the consequences were severe:

• Ingham and Halifax had to rely on helicopter food drops

• Lucinda needed supplies delivered by barge

• Supermarket shelves across the north of the State as far west as Mount Isa were empty as trucks couldn't get through

• Herbert River reached heights not seen since the 1960s.

The human cost was high: property damage, crop losses and, tragically, lives lost. But with great challenge came incredible community response from a region with resilience on their side.

What worked: Emergency response done right

1. Coordinated leadership

Townsville's Local Disaster Management Group proved its worth during repeated events. This partnership brings together council, emergency services, health providers, utility companies, and community leaders who understand local needs.

2. Real-time information

The City of Townsville's Disaster Dashboard became a lifeline for residents. Updated constantly, it provided live weather alerts, road closure maps, emergency services updates, and evacuation centre information.

3. Community networks that actually work

While official response was crucial, it was everyday Queenslanders who made the real difference: neighbours checking on elderly residents, sports clubs opening as emergency shelters, local businesses providing hot meals and phone charging, volunteers filling sandbags and clearing debris.

What Townsville learned – and we can too

1. Early warning systems work

Since 2019, Townsville has dramatically improved how it communicates risk using local spokespeople that residents recognise and trust, multiple communication channels beyond social media, and plain English warnings that clearly explain what action to take.

2. Infrastructure investment is non-negotiable

The city hasn't just rebuilt – it's built back better with updated flood mapping, improved stormwater systems in flood-prone areas, and stricter planning controls for new developments.

3. Planning must be inclusive

Townsville now specifically plans for residents who need extra support through partnerships with aged care facilities, coordination with disability support services, and community networks that reach isolated residents.

[Pull out box: Take action: Every part of Queensland faces different threats. Coastal areas worry about storm tide, inland regions face flash flooding, and the south-east deals with severe storms and bushfires. Find out what's most likely in your area so you can prepare.]

Your emergency preparation checklist

Townsville's experience shows first-hand what every Queensland household needs:

Before severe weather season (October)

• Secure your property: trim trees, fix loose roofing, clear gutters and drains.

• Update your insurance: read the fine print on flood and storm damage coverage.

• Make a plan: how will your family contact each other if separated?

• Identify your evacuation route: know multiple ways to reach safety – avoiding roads that regularly flood.

Emergency kit essentials

Your kit should include supplies for at least three days, longer if at risk of isolation:

• Water (4 litres per person per day – more in FNQ humidity)

• Non-perishable food that doesn't need cooking

• Battery-powered radio and torch (and spare batteries)

• First aid supplies and essential medications

• Important documents in a waterproof container

• Cash (ATMs and EFTPOS often fail during power outages).

Special considerations for Queensland

• Pet evacuation plans: many centres don't allow animals – know your alternatives.

• Medication storage: heat and humidity can spoil medicines quickly.

• Generator safety: carbon monoxide poisoning kills – never use generators indoors.

• Flood awareness: "If it's flooded, forget it" applies to every road, even ones you know well.

Technology that helps

Bookmark useful sites and/or download apps before you need them. In particular:

• https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/ 

• Your local council's disaster dashboard

• Bureau of Meteorology app for trusted information

• QldTraffic to stay up to date on road closures

Supporting your community

Disasters affect everyone differently. You can help by checking on neighbours (especially elderly residents or families with young children), sharing reliable information from official sources, volunteering with local groups like SES or Rural Fire Service, and learning basic skills like first aid.

Building Queensland's resilience

Townsville's experience is a preview of what is possible anywhere in Queensland. With more intense storms, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and back–to–back disaster seasons becoming our new normal.

But preparation works. Communities that invest in early warning systems, build strong networks, and take preparation seriously fare much better when disaster strikes.

Get out amongst your community to find out more

Get Ready Queensland week is from October 6th – 12th, 2025 and there is no time like right now to work on our resilience to severe weather. Head to the Get Ready Queensland Week page to find an event near you. Talk to emergency services and your local council about how your household can best prepare.

Our strength as Queenslanders has always been that we look after each other. When you prepare your family, you're not just protecting your own household – you're making your whole community more resilient