Although the worst is yet to come, the far-reaching effects of Cyclone Alfred have already impacted events in the Hunter this weekend.
Ironically, it’s forced the postponement of the Singleton Emergency Services Expo at Civic Park on Saturday 8 March, due to the unavailability of local NSW SES crews and other personnel.
The prospect of continuing wet weather did not help the situation either.
“The expo is one of our most popular annual community events… and there’s been so much work and planning gone into making this year’s yet another success,” Singleton mayor Sue Moore said.
“However, the inclement conditions, the forecast for more rain over the weekend, and having several of our local emergency services deployed north to support the response to Tropical Cyclone Alfred means that we’re left with no other option than to postpone it in the interests of keeping everyone safe.
“We’re very fortunate here in Singleton to have such capable people who can be deployed out of area to support the response phase of an emergency.
“We sincerely apologise for the disappointment this will cause and hope to see you at the expo when a new date is set.”
Another major event, the community open day for the newly-expanded Hunter Sports Centre, has also been delayed.
The Glendale-based state-of-the-art facility designed to support athletes, fitness enthusiasts and the wider community was scheduled to feature activities, including guided tours, food stalls, roving children’s entertainment and much more.
But, it’s now due to take place from noon to 3pm on Saturday 29 March.
Meanwhile, wild winds and heavy rain are expected to intensify on Friday before Cycle Alfred crosses the coast in the evening or early on Saturday, likely between Noosa and Coolangatta in Queensland.
The category two system was about 180 kilometres off the Gold Coast early on Friday and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) says it’s likely to remain at that intensity as it makes landfall.
Its effects will be felt for hundreds of kilometres from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in NSW.
More than 30,000 homes and businesses in southeast Queensland lost power on Friday morning around the Gold Coast area, Redland City and Scenic Rim.
There were also some 6,300 requests for assistance to the NSW SES in the Northern Rivers and Mid-North Coast regions as of Friday morning, as thousands of other residents spent their first night out of home after being ordered to evacuate.
Millions are bracing for the onslaught of the tropical cyclone, with countless sandbags distributed in Queensland alone stacked high around homes in coastal cities and communities.
Some 400mm of rain is expected to be dumped on the region on Friday, as strong winds lash coastal communities and deliver waves as high as 12 metres.
More than 2,000 NSW SES volunteers are preparing and assisting communities amid concerns rain will fall for up to five days after Alfred lands, risking towns being cut off completely.
“We cannot guarantee a boat for every house in the flood evacuation zone,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said.
More than 1,000 schools across the impacted region are shut, along with public transport, elective surgeries and non-critical government services.
Major airports in Brisbane and the Gold Coast are also shut with flights cancelled across several regional airfields.
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