Three weeks ago, a tropical low began swirling 700 kilometres off Cairns in far north Queensland. There was no clear threat for us, but it was likely to travel south. A week later the low was named Cyclone Alfred.
Alfred had travelled south, but was still 800 kilometres off shore. Despite being so far out to sea, a thousand kilometres of coastline were feeling the strong winds he whipped up. 300 kilometres north of us, campers on Fraser Island were advised to prepare to leave as the gusts threatened to produce 4.5m swells and abnormally high tides. Most campers cross to the island via car ferry. Then, in their 4WD's travel along the long, wide, sandy beach finding the perfect spot to camp in the sanddunes.
On Sunday March 2, modelling indicated that Cat 2 cyclone Alfred, would turn toward the coast. Our Premier announced that we had entered a "precautionary and preparation phase". The last cyclone to visit SE Queensland was 50 years ago. Landfall would be late Thursday or Friday morning, somewhere between Brisbane and the Sunshine coast, north of Brisbane.
The Gaiter Girls, ie Janice and I, were comfortable taking the train to the city for our weekly walk, even though the weather conditions were deteriorating. A very enjoyable 11 kilometres were covered.
Wednesday 5th - The Hungry Hikers all agreed to walk their 10 kilometres in their own area if it was safe to do so. We had organised a rainforest walk.
Meanwhile, Alfred was whipping up the seas and the Gold Coast beaches, which we had enjoyed just a couple of weeks ago, were destroyed over the next few days. King tides and monster 12m waves wrecked the beaches before Alfred was anywhere near us.
Alfred was determined to keep everyone guessing as to when, and where landfall would be made. There was still the possiblity that he would become Cat 3, so the decision was made to close down SE Queensland as of Thursday morning.
We commenced making our outside area cyclone safe. What a job! So many things, big and small, capable of becoming flying objects. So grateful to have Matthew still living with us to do the heavy lifting.
Thursday 6th
[6 ml during the day. Another 18 overnight] - Alfred continued to be erratic and the estimated landfall of late Thursday, early Friday morning, was now tipped to be the early hours of Saturday morning. BOM [Bureau of Meteorology] issued a warning to prepare for destructive winds, dangerous storm tide, heavy rainfall and flooding, with over 26 000 properties at risk. In 2017, the floodwaters of an intense tropical low, were within 5 inches of reaching our patio and another 5 would have entered our dining room, a step lower than the rest of the house. The greater Brisbane area was feeling liitle wind or rain, but the coast continued to feel the affects of what was to come. We felt we were in limbo. We had coffee with our neighbours, wondering how this view would change in the next 24 hours.
Friday 7th - [79ml]
We woke to another day of blue skies, and other than the occasional light shower, and a light wind disturbing the trees, we just had to wait nervously for news of Alfred's approach. Alfred was still reluctant to make landfall and to decide where. The coastal areas were being battered.
Meanwhile, I had to make my debut walk on our treadmill [ugh] to complete my daily 6 km challenge for this year's March Charge, to raise funds for cancer research.
By late evening, the bureau announced that they expected Alfred to pass over Moreton Bay Island at about 4am. We were still only experiencing minimal rain and wind.
The wind picked up during this process and continued all night but never with the horrible high-pitched shriek or sound of a roaring train or jet. I slept reasonably well, and Frank like a log. I was woken at 2am by my CCap machine when the power went off. From about 4am I listened to the radio for updates. Other areas were not fairing well at all.
Saturday 8 March [43ml]
Coastal areas were still suffering with torrential rain and wind gusts up to 100 k/h, but thankfully not reaching the strength predicted initially. At 12am Alfred had been down graded to a Cat one, but he was still playing games and very reluctantly crossed the coast
north of Brisbane sometime before breakfast. We were still outside the worst of Alfred.
I had been checking the level of the golf ponds every couple of hours. At 5.30am, I was relieved to see that the ponds hadn't joined.
The rain proceded to get heavier and heavier throughout the day. 9am view of the course.
The wind increased mid afternoon.
We were still feeling that we were on the edge of Alfred's wrath, but listening to all the reports decided it was best to sand bag the doors of our dining room.
Sunday 9 March - today Alfred found us. 50 ml had fallen over Saturday night. Another 73 ml to 3pm . Monday morning I emptied another 131ml. Total - 254 ml for the 24 hours.
Yes the water level was rising.
Midday
1pm
We went to bed very concerned and grateful to have done the sandbagging.
Monday 11 March - the rain had stopped.
My 1am check found the water several metres from our back fence. It now depended on when the rain stopped and how much had fallen upstream.
5.30am check. I put markers in the ground [red arrows] to estimate the rate at which the water was rising.
Thankfully the flood height was very little higher. I relaxed. The birds began to feed, sing and play. There was a beauty to the scene, and with nothing else to do but wait for the water to recede, the camera clicked.
At seven, Laurel joined me on my daily March Charge walk. A very different trail this morning.
No walking here today.
And 2 days later.
My favourite walking oval.
An aerial shot of the flooded Albert River.
Tuesday 11 March
The floodwaters were finally receding. Awake once more at 5.30am, I was rewarded with the beauty of a very serene sunrise. The mirror still surface of the water, reflecting perfectly the magical colours of this dawn. Interestingly, the birds didn't begin to apeear until near 6am. Perhaps, they too, were mesmerised.
Time for a laugh. I watched these 2 rows of ducks from a distance and was amazed that they were so synchronised in their waddling. It wasn't until I looked at my image on the screen that I realised that it was actually one line perfectly reflected. Silly me!
Wednesday 12 March
The muddy view of the golf course. The staff and volunteers have done an incredible job of repairing the course, although it still isn't open.
Today, Saturday 15 March
Returning our outside areas back to normal, has been time consuming. I was flabbergasted that on Tuesday, I actually walked 8 km around the house and garden, trying to get everything back to normal.
Well, this has been a saga. Hope you have kept up. I need a Nana Nap.
Cyclone Aldred kept us guessing. Downed powerlines, left 300 000 without power for several days and some are still waiting. Homes were flooded. Trees have fallen but none of this was as bad it may well have been. Here at No 16 we have weathered it exremely well and went without power for only 14 hours. We were very relieved.
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