by Annette Irish
Well, I dubbed him ‘Alfie’—the unknown was coming, trifling with our anxieties, and two days later, he left havoc in his wake… and I missed it all from my hospital ward! What was it all about… ‘Alfie’?
The Calm Before the Storm
In the last edition, I mustered up my energy to prepare our rural hideaway, ensuring it was as safe as possible. The checklist was thorough, the work was satisfying, and I was rather impressed with myself. Then Alfie stalled off the coast, did a full three-sixty, and unexpectedly gifted me another day to add the ‘finishing touches.’
But sometimes, more time isn’t a blessing.
Preparing for Alfie’s Onslaught
✔ Secure the House
✔ Public Warning: Where’s Your Gear
✔ Where is Your PPE – Storm Gear Ready?
✔ Clear Around the House
✔ Clean Gutters and Roof
✔ Protect Your Plants
✔ Check Drains and Water Flow
✔ DIY Sandbags (No Lines Required)
✔ Power Up the BBQ
✔ Stock Up on Water
All was looking good until Alfie’s dawdling gave me one last opportunity to fix that final metre of guttering… and that’s when it all came undone.
The Ladder Lesson
I didn’t insist on Peter being the ‘dogman’—the person who stands at the base of the ladder, checks balance, and manages debris. Big mistake.
Three metres later, I crashed onto the soft mulch—a blur of adrenaline and bad luck. Apparently, I did all the right things post-fall, or so the paramedics said. Before moving, I checked for cuts and sharp objects, crawled to a clear area, elevated my rapidly swelling ankle, and dialed 000 without hesitation. The verdict? Ankle bones broken on both sides, six weeks off my feet, and surgery last Sunday. No MIFGS for me this year.
And I wasn’t alone. Emergency rooms saw an increase in storm-prep-related injuries—seems Alfie had people toppling before he even touched land.
Non-Human Casualties
When Alfie finally crossed the coast at Redcliffe on Saturday night, his winds charged up the Pine River valley system between Whiteside and Redcliffe. Though my neighbour assured me we’ve weathered worse, the pictures of my landscape told another story.
Two gentle giants of our surrounding remnant forest fell victim to Alfie’s swirling winds. One, a towering 2-metre dbh Eucalyptus tereticornis (Queensland Blue Gum or Forest Red Gum), suffered a massive branch separation, leaving a gaping wound. These trees are caviar to koalas, shelters for birds, and home to native bee colonies. Their loss is more than just fallen timber—it’s an ecosystem disrupted.
Still, nature adapts and so must we. The silver lining? Their termite-resistant wood makes stunning garden sculptures and long-lasting native orchid-growing slabs.
Alfie’s Legacy
Like Michael Caine’s character, ‘Alfie’, our cyclone toyed with us—stalling, circling, and leaving damage in his wake. But in the end, he tempered his fury, sparing us worse.
And me? I’ve added an extra step to my next cyclone checklist:
✔ Point 11: Always Have a ‘Dogman’ on Duty!
