Guide to Cyclone Clean Up [Cyclone Alfred 2025]

Cyclone Alfred Overview

Tropical Cyclone Alfred was strong, long-lasting, and unpredictable. It caused extensive damage to South East Queensland and the North Coast of New South Wales. Alfred started as a tropical low in the Coral Sea on February 20. It was the seventh named storm and sixth strong tropical cyclone of the 2024–25 season in the Australian region.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred was strong, long-lasting, and unpredictable. It caused extensive damage to South East Queensland and the North Coast of New South Wales. Alfred started as a tropical low in the Coral Sea on February 20. It was the seventh named storm and sixth strong tropical cyclone of the 2024–25 season in the Australian region.

Cyclone Alfred was expected to be one of the most important weather events in recent Australian history. It caused watches, warnings, and evacuations in South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales, two places that haven't been directly affected by tropical cyclones very often. However, it hit the coast as a weaker system and quickly turned into a tropical low before hitting land on March 8. Its heavy rains caused severe flooding in the area.

Four people have not been seen or heard from since the storm hit. At least one person has died. Several injuries have also been recorded, mainly from a car accident involving the Australian Defence Force that happened during the worst of the storm. Alfred is thought to have cost the economy about $1.2 billion.

Cyclone Alfred Impacts

Between noon and eight in the morning AEST on March 7, winds of over 100 km/h (62 mph) were seen at the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. Strong winds had caused big pine trees to fall in Kirra. Around 80,000 homes and businesses in Queensland and New South Wales had lost power by 15:00 AEST.

Many people in the Northern Rivers lost power overnight when trees fell on power lines, leaving 43,000 homes without electricity. A guy was last seen and later found dead after floodwaters in Dorrigo, New South Wales, took his car. The girl, who is 12 years old, was last seen in Redland Bay, Queensland.

A crash involving two Australian Defence Force vehicles in Lismore, New South Wales, hurt 36 people, eight of them badly, and left two others missing.

In Gold Coast, a woman was hurt, and 20 others had to be evacuated after the storm tore off the roof of an apartment building. In another incident, a couple was injured slightly when a tree crashed through their bedroom ceiling.

In Brisbane, Urban Utilities had to dump raw sewage into the Brisbane River because a key project was being flooded. This led to a warning along the river between Lucas Park and Colmslie Beach Reserve.

Cyclone Alfred Emergency Resources

People affected by Tropical Cyclone Alfred can get help immediately. The recovery map will include information about Recovery Assistance Points, stopped roads, temporary housing, mental health support, and cleanup help.

If the area is dangerous, getting home after bad weather may take longer. Live Traffic NSW will inform you about road closures and the latest advice from NSW SES. There may be risks when you get back home. Be careful as you clean up. Visit NSW Health for health tips on how to lower your risk of getting hurt, sick, or infected during and after a natural disaster.

Should you need help or advice after a disaster or emergency, the NSW Reconstruction Authority is here to help:

Get in touch with 13 77 88.

You can get free help in your language by calling 13 14 50 and asking them to connect you with 13 77 88.

Call the NSW Mental Health Line at 1800 011 511 for help with your mental health.

Cyclone Alfred Community Cleanup

After the effects of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, residents across the Shire are starting to clean up. The job will take at least eight weeks to finish. Legitimate trash from the storm can only be picked up. From Monday, March 17, green garbage will be picked up in the following suburbs:

Tweed Heads

Tweed Heads South

Tweed Heads West

Pottsville (all)

Banora Point (all)

Hard garbage collection will start as soon as possible, with Chinderah, Tumbulgum, and Condong being the first places to be picked up. Please be patient. The Shire Council will get to all places, but it will take time, and we can't set a specific day or time for the suburbs.

What should you do?

By Sunday, March 23, put your green and hard trash in separate, neat piles on your kerb.

Separate your trash into different piles; trucks pick them up at other times.

Do not put things on the road or elsewhere that interfere with regular trash pickups.

It will only be picked up from the kerb. The council or its contractors cannot access private land or cut back any plants there.

Tell your neighbours, friends, and family about the kerbside collection to help us get the word out.

What kinds of waste materials can I dispose of?

You can use this free service for any green or hard waste damaged by the storm. The council will only pick up trash related to the storm. Separate your trash into green waste and other trash. At different times, different trucks will pick it up.

Do I have to put all of my waste on the kerbside?

Yes, it will only be picked up from the kerb. The council or its contractors cannot access private land or cut back any plants there. If you can't move the trash yourself, you should ask your neighbours, friends, or nearby businesses to help.

Who is eligible for the residential kerbside clean up and free drop off at the tip?

All residential and rural-rated buildings are part of the kerbside cleanup. Only trash damaged by a cyclone around the house yard is qualified for rural properties. If you don't have a regular bin collection service and need green or hard waste picked up because of the cyclone, please call us at 02 6670 2400. Properties using the free Tip drop-off service are told they need proof of residency, like a driver's licence.

Cyclone Alfred Personal Clean Up

Cleaning up after a cyclone and getting back on your feet can put your health at significant risk. People who lost their homes in floods often want to return to work as soon as the water goes down.

NSW Health tells everyone to stay safe by doing simple things like avoiding mud and floodwater that you don't need to touch. These may contain sewage, poisons, dead animals, fuels, and trash.

Wear safety gear like boots, gloves, and eye protection. Follow basic cleanliness rules, and wash your hands well with soap or hand sanitiser after cleaning up after a flood. When you're outside, use bug spray.

Watch out for snakes, spiders, and rats hidden in homes, buildings, or big containers. Clean hard surfaces like floors, walls, benches, and sinks well with hot soapy water. Then, wipe or spray them with a chlorine bleach solution (see below) or a disinfectant-branded product to make them germ-free. After being cleaned, let it dry.

Call the Council's Environmental Health Officers at 02 6670 2400 for more help. Read these tips if you want to clean up after Cyclone Alfred.

How to Clean Pool after Cyclone Alfred

Your swimming or spa pool must be fixed after Cyclone Alfred before it's safe to use. Flooded pools may contain harmful germs and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry diseases.

Pool Fence: If the fence is broken, it must be fixed immediately to meet pool safety standards.

Electrical Safety: If you know or think that floodwaters have damaged the electrical parts of your pool, you should have a licenced electrician check them out and declare them safe to use before you try to use them.

Bugs: If you can't get your pool back in shape immediately after the disaster, ensure you do something as soon as it's safe so mosquitoes don't lay their eggs in the water. Find out how to cut down on diseases that mosquitoes spread.

Restoring Water Quality: If you want to get rid of the polluted water, you may need to contact your local government. Talk to a pool shop in your area to find out when you can empty the pool without hurting the building. They can also tell you how to clean, sanitise, and replace your pool safely so the water is safe to swim in again.

Once the pool water has evaporated, you'll need to clean and sanitise the whole thing, including the buildings around it and the pipes and treatment equipment accompanying it.

How to Clean Water Tanks after Cyclone Alfred

Floods can damage rainwater and bore water holding tanks, which means the tanks' water is likely to contain dangerous organisms and isn't good enough to drink.

Safety Check: Before fixing up your tank, consider its construction and surrounding area. If the tank has been moved or broken, the fish may drown—limit who can access the tank to lower the risk.

Electrical Safety: If you know or think that floodwaters have damaged the electrical parts of your water tank, have a licenced electrician check them out and declare them safe to use before you try to fix them.

Bugs: In Queensland, all holes on water tanks must be installed by law. These mosquito-proof screens are made of brass, copper, aluminium, or stainless steel gauze and have a mesh size of no more than 1 mm. They are also placed in a way that doesn't cause or speed up corrosion. Mosquitoes from getting through the holes or flap locks that, when closed, stop mosquitoes from getting through the holes.

Mosquitoes that carry diseases love to lay their eggs in broken tanks that don't have screens or flap valves. Do something as soon as it's safe to keep mosquitoes from growing in your water tanks. A good way to keep things from happening is to check the water tank screens for damage, replace any broken ones, and ensure that there are no holes or gaps in the tank or its parts.

Reinstating Your Rainwater or Bore Water Holding Tank

First, drain the water from your tank. Don't try to empty a buried tank while the ground is still wet; this could damage the tank and its pipes.

Once the tank is empty, clean the inside with clean water. The lines, gutters, downspouts, and roof must also be cleaned and sanitised.

Talk to a water tank seller in your area to find the best way to keep your tank clean. You should hire someone to clean the tank for you. Tank cleaning that requires going inside the tank should only be done by a qualified professional tank cleaner since working in a small area is dangerous. 

After cleaning and sanitising the tank, fill it with water from a safe source and add enough chlorine to give it a 5mg/L dose. To determine how much chlorine to add, you'll need to determine how much water is in the tank.

How much you need will depend on the type of chlorine you use. As a general rule, though:

Bleach for the home (4% concentration): 125 mL or 125g per 1000 litres.

40mL, or 40g, of 12.5% bleach liquid for swimming pools every 1000 litres.

7 mL (7g) of granular chlorine for swimming pools (70% strength) for every 1000 litres of water.

Always pay attention to the chlorine product label's dangers, how-to instructions, and safety tips.

After adding the chlorine, let the water sit for at least an hour (or overnight).

Returning to Affected Areas after Cyclone Alfred

Most people will want to get back to their homes as soon as possible after a disaster to fix them up. But for your safety, you should wait until all the dangers have been removed, basic needs are met, and the area is deemed safe.

Make sure it is safe to return to areas affected by the accident and that you have what you need to stay safe and healthy while the area recovers.

- If there is any damage to the building, ensure all the gas and electricity have been turned off.

- Use a generator only in a place with good airflow.

- When you come home, check for spiders, snakes, and other dangerous animals that may have come in.

- Stay away from the floodwater.

- Wear safety gear like long sleeves, pants, gloves, and rubber boots.

- Take care of and cover up any cuts or scrapes.

- When you work outside, wear sunscreen and a hat.

- Drink plenty of water.

- Make sure you wash your hands often with soap and clean water. After you clean, use an alcohol hand rub, especially if the water isn't clean.

- Remember to stay safe from bug bites.

- Make sure you have a first-aid kit on hand.    

Cleaning Up

If kitchen cabinets, countertops, food tools, or dishes have been wet from flooding:

Throw away broken or cracked items and those made of wood, plastic, or rubber.

Use hot, soapy water that is safe to drink to clean surfaces and tools.

Clean all surfaces, tools, and utensils:

Put things made of metal in water that is boiling for at least three minutes.

If you can't safely put it in boiling water, mix one tablespoon of chlorine bleach with 2 litres of warm water.

Bench and cabinet surfaces should be rinsed with one tablespoon of chlorine bleach and 2 pints of warm water.

Rinse objects that have been cleaned with water that is safe to drink.

Let things dry in the air.

Drinking Water

In the Cyclone Alfred, water pipes and storage may get broken. Before you use any water, make sure it is safe by calling your local government.

Run the sinks for a few minutes to remove dirty water.

Take out all of the screens, flow controls, and aerators.

Use hot water and soap to clean the tap and its parts well.

Use a gentle cleaner on the tap and all of its parts.

Before you use the tap, rinse it, put it back together, and run water through it for a few minutes.

If you don't know how clean the water is, buy it in a bottle or boil it first. However, boiling water won't get rid of chemical pollution.

Food Safety

Food that has been in floodwater should be thrown away.

Food that has been in the fridge but not in the refrigerator (or above 5C) for more than 4 hours.

Food that has been frozen after 48 hours (if the freezer is complete) or 24 hours (if it's only half full)

Food in a can that is open, swollen, or broken.

Food in jars with flip tops, screw or twist caps, and snap-lips.

Anything that smells, looks, or feels different from usual.

Dealing with Waste

To lower the health risks, talk to your local council about any changes to how your trash is usually picked up and get specific help on how to get rid of waste.

Food and other organic trash that can break down should be kept in a sealed bag until picked up.

Do not put dangerous trash on the kerb, like chemicals, drugs, gas tanks, or asbestos.

When you clean up, wear protective gear and take the proper steps when dealing with asbestos cement debris.

Fallen Trees

Before a cyclone, you are in charge of general care and upkeep for your home. You should hire a professional to ensure your property is ready if you can't do it yourself.

You are responsible for removing green waste and trees that don't threaten people or property. However, SES can cut trees that have already fallen if they pose a threat to people or property after an event.

Insurance Claim Preparation

You need to do several things to meet your insurance company's standards. After that, you need to get repair quotes and have them done. You can get help from the Queensland Building and Construction Commission on rebuilding after a natural disaster. You can also email them or call them at 139 333 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Jackery Portable Power Stations for Cyclone Emergencies

Cyclones often produce extensive power outages; therefore, a portable power station can supply backup electricity for important purposes when the grid fails. 

During a cyclone, keeping contact with family, emergency services, and authorities is vital; a power station can run necessary communication gear. Using portable power stations, those depending on medical equipment like oxygen concentrators or ventilators can keep life support. 

Jackery Portable Power Stations are ideal for cyclone, hurricane, and storm emergencies. They offer a stable and consistent power supply for your communication devices, medical machines, essential household appliances and electronics. You can even pair them with Jackery Solar Panels to use solar energy unlimited. If there is a long, windy, rainy day in Queensland, you can quickly recharge the power stations indoors with outlets or carports.            

Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus

With an expandable capacity from 2 to 12 kWh, Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus is suitable for unexpected power outages caused by Cyclone Alfred. It can charge 99% of household appliances and electronics, such as lights, radios, phones, computers, etc. With a 20ms EPS, essential devices such as your refrigerator and CPAP remain operational instantaneously during a power outage.

When utilising 6*SolarSaga 100W solar panels, the Explorer 2000 Plus requires only 6 hours for a complete solar charge. This power source achieves complete autonomy by using solar energy for charging, eliminating reliance on the power grid. You can recharge it with a wall outlet (1.7 hours) and a carport (25 hours).

ChargeShield is Jackery's advanced quick charge technology, featuring 62 protective mechanisms, 12 protective algorithms, and four forms of physical safety protection. Manage and oversee your 2000 Plus with the Jackery App. It accommodates various devices, facilitates real-time status monitoring, and offers customisation options and additional features.

(*The working hours are only for reference; the actual working hours depend on your usage.)

Review from Our User:

This was primarily purchased to handle power outages. Living on a farm means that when the power goes out, our household pressure pump stops working, resulting in water loss. This has been a problem for decades. We needed to ensure the pumps we purchased could handle the high current draw during startup. After thorough research, I chose the 2000 Plus due to its impressive 3000w/6000w surge specification. It functions effectively.    

Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus

Compared to the Explorer 2000 Plus, the Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus (with 1.25 to 5 kWh expandable capacity) is more compact and inclined to use at home, off-grid cabin, or even on your caravan—expandable to five power levels, offering three days of emergency backup for household use. The Jackery 1000 Plus is the premier selection for a portable power station and is adaptable for outdoor, domestic, and emergencies.

(*The working hours are only for reference; the actual working hours depend on your usage.)

Review from Our User:

We relied on our Jackery 1000 Explorer Plus generator to keep the refrigerator running during a potential power outage. After experiencing three days without power due to an EF2 tornado in our city, we found it essential. A week after the storm, we operated the refrigerator on the generator during the day and turned it off at night. This approach allowed the fridge to stay cool for over 24 hours with the generator.   

Cyclone Alfred Recovery Timeline

The Reconstruction Authority will conduct mobile recovery outreach. See below for dates and times at particular places. Please remember that this information may change as the NSW government responds to the community's need for more locations.

Recovery Assistance Points (RAPs) will be run by the Reconstruction Authority and partner groups such as Services Australia, Legal Aid, and St. Vincent de Paul in the following central spots. These spots were chosen so that people could easily access them.

Open from Thursday, 13 - to Friday, March 21, from 9 am to 5 pm:

Lismore: Room V1.19, Southern Cross University, Military Road, East Lismore - Map (PDF 1.01MB)

In South Tweed Heads, at the corner of Heffron Street and Minjungbal Drive, you can find the Tweed South Community Hall.

There is a surf club in East Ballina at 65 Lighthouse Parade.

Open from Tuesday, March 18 - Wednesday, March 19, from 9 am to 5 pm:

Maclean: Maclean Seventh Day Adventist Church, 39 Church St, Maclean

Opening from Thursday, March 20 - Friday, March 21, from 9 am to 5 pm:

Grafton: Grafton Showground, The Barn, 208 Prince Street, Grafton NSW  

Opening from Saturday, March 22, from 9 am to 12 pm:

Lismore: Southern Cross University Military Road, East Lismore, Room V1.19 – Map (PDF 1.01. MB)

Tweed South Community Hall: Corner Heffron Street and Minjungbal Drive, South Tweed Heads

Opening from Monday, March 24 – Friday, March 28, from 9 am to 5 pm:

Lismore: Southern Cross University Military Road, East Lismore, Room V1.19 – Map (PDF 1.01. MB)

Tweed South Community Hall: Corner Heffron Street and Minjungbal Drive, South Tweed Heads

As the situation progresses, we will review plans to ensure we reach as many impacted communities as possible.  

(Data Source: NSW Government)

Cyclone Alfred Cleanup FAQs

The following are the frequently asked questions about the Cyclone Alfred cleanup.

1. What to do after a cyclone?

You should stay at the shelter until you are told it is safe to go home.

You need to get vaccinated against diseases right away.

Stay away from any lamp post lines that are loose and hanging down.

Be careful when you drive if you have to.

Get rid of the trash on your property right away.

2. How do people clean up after hurricanes?

Take down and throw away drywall and insulation that has been affected by flood or sewage water. Use hot water and laundry or dish soap to clean all hard surfaces well. This includes floors, concrete, wood and metal furniture, moulding, countertops, sinks, appliances, and other plumbing fixtures.

3. What are the after-effects of a cyclone?

The storm did this: It can hurt people, businesses, and the infrastructure. It can mess up power, communication, and transportation services. Flooding can happen because of it.

4. What to do with debris after a cyclone?

Clear away trash from trees, poles, buildings, fire hydrants, and metres. When you dump trash along the kerb, you can divide it into five groups: electronics (like TVs, computers, and cell phones), Big home equipment like fridges, washers, dryers, stoves, and dishwashers, and trash.

Final Thoughts

Cleanup after Cyclone Alfred is essential for healing. Whether you own a business or a house, you should immediately eliminate debris safely and effectively. To speed up recovery, remember to put safety first, get professional help when needed, and properly dispose of any waste. Cleanup after a big storm might take days or even weeks. It can be hard to deal with damage to your home and things, but you can get through it. After figuring out how bad the damage is, call your insurance company to begin the claim process.