The Power of Community and Resilience in the Wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

In light of the devastating impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred across Queensland and Northern New South Wales, we felt it was important to pause and reach out to our community.

This isn’t the post we had originally planned for this week, but after witnessing the damage and disruption caused by the cyclone, we want to take a moment to connect, share experiences, and express our heartfelt appreciation for the strength and resilience shown by so many.

Bay Island Services, QLD

With many of our team living in Queensland, some of us have experienced first-hand the challenges of this natural disaster - navigating life without power, recovering homes from flooding and helping neighbours to get back on their feet. In times like these, it becomes clear just how fragile our infrastructure can be and how heavily we rely on technology and robust supply chains to keep life moving.

Most importantly, it’s moments like these that remind us of the true strength of community. Neighbours helping each other, strangers offering shelter and emergency responders working tirelessly to support those affected. We want to share some personal stories from our team - not just to highlight the challenges we’ve faced, but to emphasise the resilience, support and kindness that have emerged in the aftermath.

---

Anna Phillips, The Bay Islands, QLD

“We evacuated last Monday with our one-year-old and staffy, uncertain how severe the cyclone would become. With no power and no boats likely to run, staying on the island felt too risky. It was a sobering reminder of life’s fragility, especially as a new mother, my mind was racing. We gathered passports, key documents, laptops, and essentials, secured the house as best we could, and left.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/59dec2_53194583f7e64e18a1d6f0c6a24e3632/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Another family took shelter in our home after theirs was later threatened by the tidal surge. Even in the chaos, the community mobilised - phones buzzed with offers of food, gas and shelter. By Monday, Redlands City Council had tree surgeons and generators on the island, while the SES, Garden Club, and Fire Station coordinated fuel deliveries and provided updates. The island remained without power for five days, part of one of the largest blackouts in Queensland’s history, affecting much of Queensland and northern NSW. Fallen trees caused significant disruption, but thankfully no one was hurt, and property damage was minimal. A testament to the strength and preparation of the community. Now the focus shifts to recovery and rebuilding.”

Claire Pink, Redland Bay, QLD

“Living near the water, we knew the risks. We prepared as much as we could — boarding up windows, laying sandbags. The cyclone hit hard, and our home took on water at one point. The most unnerving part was the power outage. With the traffic lights down and phone service spotty, people were driving the streets trying to find signal — a dangerous situation. Even more worrying was the inability to contact elderly neighbours or emergency services if needed. To keep spirits up and the kids calm before the storm hit, we baked an "ALF cyclone cake" and decided only to eat it once the worst storm had passed — a small way to stay positive through the uncertainty. Power was out for four days, but on day 5 we were grateful for the generator the council put on our street to support families in the area during the outage. On the positive side, we had plenty of family time, playing cards and other games to pass the time, the ALF cake was a hit with the kids!”

Britta Marsh, Brisbane, QLD

“I was on holiday in Fiji with my family when the cyclone made it’s way down the coast and our flights were cancelled. I stayed in constant contact with my family in Brisbane and followed the Premier’s announcements closely. It felt apocalyptic - feeling safe but also helpless at the same time. Now that we’re back home, we still have no power and are

Energex Power Outage Map

navigating significant disruption to daily life. Juggling work and a young family without refrigeration or communication is a real challenge. We're taking it day by day and hoping things return to normal soon, but we're grateful there was no significant damage.”

Cass Mitchell, Bundaberg, QLD

Windy Hurricane Watch

“We were in Brisbane when the warnings intensified, so we decided to head back to Bundaberg to avoid getting trapped by rising floodwaters. We helped family and neighbours prepare their homes and coordinated support in group chats to keep everyone connected. Fortunately, the cyclone was lighter in Bundaberg, but the disruption to planned events and business was significant. We're just relieved everyone made it through safely.”

Duncan Ferguson, Brisbane, QLD

Brisbane, QLD

“Having grown up in Queensland, I’ve faced my share of cyclones and floods. In a previous role, I worked with communities in North Queensland after a cyclone left houses without roofs and massive damage to crops and the local environment.  I also understood the emotional toll it takes during the wait beforehand and then the long recovery. I knew preparation was key.

My boys told me they felt safe because they could see how much effort we put into getting ready. We sheltered in the safest part of the house because of a large gum tree near our property -  a real risk if the winds had been stronger. The lack of sleep during the cyclone was tough, but the experience of working through it together made us stronger as a family and as a community.”

---

Strengthening Resilience Across the Agrifood-Tech Sector

Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred isn’t just affecting homes and infrastructure - it’s having a significant and ongoing impact on the Agrifood-tech sector. Flooding in key agricultural regions like the Lockyer Valley has resulted in crop losses and major disruptions to the supply chain. Supermarkets across Queensland are experiencing shortages, even in areas far from the cyclone’s direct path. Some supply routes remain blocked or damaged, and the logistics of moving fresh produce, meat and other perishable goods have become increasingly difficult. 

Beef exporters and farmers are already counting the financial cost of these disruptions, with significant uncertainty around how long it will take for operations to return to normal. The fragility of our supply chains is becoming more apparent, not just in terms of production and transport, but also in how reliant we are on technology to keep the system running smoothly.

The challenges across the Agrifood-tech sector are a stark reminder that as extreme weather events become more frequent due to global warming, we need to strengthen the resilience of our supply chains. This includes better infrastructure, more adaptive systems and technology that can withstand environmental shocks.

Mount Isa, QLD

Preparing for Future Disruptions

In light of these challenges, strengthening local networks and building resilience across the Agrifood-tech sector is becoming increasingly urgent. The impact of this weather event has made it clear that businesses need to be prepared for the growing threat of extreme weather events. We are already working to expand our offering by incorporating disaster resilience into business modelling and supply chain strategies across our programs, workshops and events.

An initiative launched earlier this month is already laying the groundwork for this. Tekwomen QLD was created to connect female founders, mentors, experts and AgriFood Tech professionals across Queensland, fostering collaboration and problem-solving; particularly around complex challenges like supply chain disruption and circular economy initiatives. In light of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, we are now working to upskill ourselves and our network to incorporate disaster resilience as a key part of our curriculum and a focus within our incubation spaces. This includes creating more opportunities for founders to exchange knowledge and test ideas, ensuring resilience is built into the core of their business models.

We know that solving these challenges will require collective effort and expertise. If you have experience or insights in this area, please reach out to us at admin@farmers2founders.com, we would value the opportunity to connect with you on this important topic. Strengthening resilience across the Agrifood-tech sector will depend on bringing together different perspectives and sharing knowledge to prepare for future challenges.

Building resilience in the Agrifood-tech sector isn’t just about improving infrastructure and technology; it’s about strengthening the knowledge and connections within our networks. The impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred underscores the urgent need for more resilient infrastructure, stronger supply chains, and adaptable systems - but more than anything, it’s the strength of the community, the support and knowledge shared among people, that will ultimately define how we recover and move forward.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we wish you a smooth and steady recovery in the weeks ahead.

QLD Services

---