Queensland hospitality braces for "unprecedented" cyclone
Iconic Gold Coast restaurant Rick Shores is bracing for the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, expected to hit the region late Thursday or Friday.
The Burleigh Heads venue faces the threat of heavy rain, damaging swells, and high tides as the category two cyclone approaches. Like many coastal businesses, Rick Shores is closely monitoring the situation and preparing for the potentially historic storm.
"Our thoughts are with everyone in the industry—this one looks like it will affect us all," the restaurant said.
"At Rick Shores, we’ve once again jumped into action with the usual sandbagging efforts—we’re certainly getting quicker at it after so many times!
"In addition, we’re constructing what we’re calling 'The Great Wall of Burleigh' to protect our windows and the neighbouring level of Burleigh Pavilion, reinforcing our space as much as possible against the incoming weather."
"We are dealing with a very heavily populated part of the state, a state that hasn’t seen a cyclone for many years – in fact many decades – get this close to the coast, or predicted to," he said.
Businesses and residents are scrambling to prepare for what has been described as an "unprecedented" weather event, set to make landfall south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Village Roadshow announced Monday the temporary closure of all its theme parks, including Movie World, Sea World, and Wet'n'Wild, for three days starting Wednesday. This decision comes as a direct response to the heightened risk of severe weather and flooding.
The Queensland government’s "Get Ready Queensland" initiative has issued a comprehensive checklist for millions of residents, emphasising the importance of securing homes with sandbags to mitigate potential flood damage.
This storm is considered exceptionally rare due to its projected landfall location south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The last cyclone to make landfall near Brisbane, below this line, was Cyclone Nancy in 1990.
Premier David Crisafulli confirmed on Monday that updated weather modelling has increased the likelihood of the cyclone crossing the coast, further escalating concerns.
The announcement follows reports that popular dining establishments like Rick Shores, alongside numerous other businesses, have also begun implementing their own preparatory measures.
“We’re asking people who live on those islands to make a conscious decision … to either leave or stay," Crisafulli said.
“It is important they make that decision fairly soon because that window will close.”
Jonathan Jackson, 5th March 2025
