Cyclone Alfred: Reflecting, learning & moving forward
Taking stock of Cyclone Alfred
For many of us in the Northern Rivers, we were fortunate to escape the worst of Cyclone Alfred but the impacts were still felt - homes, roads, and public infrastructure were affected by floodwaters, strong winds, and falling trees - and beyond the physical damage, the emotional toll has been significant, with many in our community facing stress and uncertainty. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted, as well the strength and resilience it takes to prepare for and navigate these challenges. And on our end, we now need to engage in extensive renovations to repair Plan C's headquarter's roof which has been leaking during the cyclone!
The silver lining is that our communities and all levels of government - federal, state, and local - were better organised and worked together more effectively than ever before. Massive respect goes out to the incredible community hubs that self-organised to support their own areas, including but not limited to:
EARN (Evans Head Area Resilience Network)
ICOPE (Iluka Community Organisation Planning for Emergencies)
MADR Inc. (Main Arm Disaster Resilience Incorporated)
Minyon Resilience Network
Together Pottsville
Resilient Lismore
Resilient Uki
South Golden Beach/New Brighton & Ocean Shores CRT (Community Resilience Team)
Wardell CORE (Community Organised Resilience Effort
Wilsons Creek/Huonbrook & Wanganui CRT (Community Resilience Team)
…and all the smaller street and area groups that stepped up.
For a map (and details) of these community organisations, or to add your own group, please visit our new page:
From a Plan C perspective, during Cyclone Alfred we focused on gathering information from across the Northern Rivers NSW to understand what was happening, verifying and organising it, and sharing daily updates across social media channels. We also supported community members with specific requests where we could. Lastly, we also attended a number of meetings with key stakeholders and escalated community concerns when possible.
Your feedback please...
Now, as part of our After Action Review, we’d love to hear from you about what Plan C did!
What worked well?
What could we improve?
What should we do differently next time?
Your feedback is invaluable! It helps us learn and strengthen our community response for the future. Please take a moment to share your thoughts by filling out the form below. It means a lot.
One last thing...
Many of you have told us how much better prepared, connected and supported you have been thanks to being part of the Community Carers and Responders network (CCR). Now, the good news is, our CCR training is kicking off again this year thanks to funding from Healthy North Coast! Cyclone Alfred’s visit has been a timely reminder of the importance of preparedness and strong community connections, and you can be a part of it too!
If you’ve completed CCR training before and are part of the network, you know how valuable it is, so please help us spread the word!
To express your interest, fill out the application form, select EXPRESSION OF INTEREST for each training date, and we’ll notify you once locations and dates are confirmed. Every application helps us understand where this training is most needed.
Thank you for being part of this incredible community.
In gratitude,
The Plan C Team
