IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

The Cyclone Debbie Review

The evacuation of tourists, however, would become a different matter. Pre-season work was not limited to public events alone. Regular meetings throughout the year with members of the LDMG helped to build positive and effective relationships between agencies and individuals. Extensive planning and preparedness resulted in timely and effective communication between members of the local group and staff at the LDCC and effective coordination and decision-making. Collaboration between Ergon and the local group, particularly, worked well and fixed outages while keeping the community informed. The cyclone shelters at Bowen and Proserpine were stocked and ready for operation on Saturday 25 March, opened on the morning of Monday 27 March and transitioned to evacuation centres on Wednesday 29 March. Learning from previous cyclone events in Queensland, the Whitsunday LDMG stocked the cyclone shelters with enough food and supplies to allow for their transition to evacuation centres following the event. The slow- moving weather system meant that cyclone shelters were open for longer than guidelines expect before lock-down. 36 37 However, effective hazard-specific planning resulted in a transition from cyclone shelter to evacuation centre that worked well. An additional evacuation centre was opened at the Whitsunday PCYC building on Thursday 30 March.

On the morning of Tuesday 28 March, the cyclone passed Hayman Island, Hook Island, Whitsunday Island, South Molle Island and Daydream Island, with peak wind gusts of over 260km/h recorded at Hamilton Island. The cyclone reached the mainland as a category 4 system at 12.40pm. The eye of the storm crossed directly over Airlie Beach before moving past Proserpine as a category 3 cyclone. The Whitsunday LDCC in Proserpine sustained significant damage. Restricted access to the building affected planned staff rotations, and this, paired with the prolonged timeline of the event, meant that fatigue was a major problem. Evacuation of a significant number of tourists and backpackers from the islands and Airlie Beach commenced the morning of 27 March and continued after Debbie had passed. This was coordinated by the Whitsunday LDMG, working closely with resort owners. Three 48-seater buses were arranged to move tourists and backpackers from Airlie Beach to Rockhampton. Others moved to Townsville, which, by 1 April, was able to receive evacuees. Some lessons were identified about the evacuation of tourists in the Whitsunday area and are explored in the evacuation case study later – in particular, the need for improved communication between the harbour master andthe LDMG to support rapid decision-making and coordination of operations.

The three concurrent events

North Queensland

State-level operations

Central Queensland

South East Queensland

4.30am • “Approx. 4000-5000 guests/ staff on Hamilton Island, 430 guests/ staff on Daydream Island and 607 guests/staff/contractors on Hayman Island” Morning (approx. 10.30am) • TC crossed over Whitsunday islands 12.40pm • TC Debbie made landfall Airlie Beach as a category 4 1.00pm • TC crossed over Proserpine as a category 3 From 3.00pm • BoM advised gale force winds to impact Ayr 10.00pm • TC crossed over Collinsville as a category 2 Bowen, Proserpine cyclone shelters transitioned to evacuation centres Early hours • System dissipated to a tropical low south west of Collinsville Townsville LDMG stood down Mackay airport reopened with restrictions 3.00pm • Whitsunday Pilotage Area reopened Commercial flights arranged from Hamilton Island to Cairns, Sydney and Bowen Whitsunday PCYC opened as evacuation centre pm • Navy evacuates 200 from Daydream Island to Airlie Beach 5.00pm • Police assist evacuation flights on Hamilton Island 9.30pm • Last 100 evacuees from Daydream Island move from Airlie Beach to Townsville Late evening • Private charter takes Hayman Island guests to Sydney via Hamilton Island

28 March

29 March

30 March

Hamilton Island roof damage. Photo courtesy of ABC News – supplied: Dennis Garrett

31 March Burdekin LDMG stood down 3 April

Whitsunday LDMG transitioned to recovery

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4 THE THREE CONCURRENT EVENTS

North Queensland: Burdekin • Whitsunday