IPSWICH City Council will not conduct waste collection services on Thursday, March 6, and Friday March 7, in preparation for Tropical Cyclone Alfred making landfall.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said residents should stay calm, be prepared and have a plan for the coming days, and Council is certainly doing the same.
“While our coastal councils will bear the brunt of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, destructive winds and heavy rain will have an impact on Ipswich.
“I strongly encourage residents to act now to remove loose items and debris from your yard, make an emergency plan and kit for your family and pets, and prepare for power outages as this event takes hold.
“While council is already well underway with its disaster management planning and response, it’s expected to be too dangerous for community members and council staff to be outside as Tropical Cyclone Alfred reaches the southeast.
“Waste collection services in Ipswich will not occur on Thursday 6 March and Friday 7 March. Given the likely wind, rain and flooding impacts on our community, residents should prepare to secure their bins until their next scheduled collection date.
“We are asking residents to keep their bins safely within their property where they cannot be blown away or spill over and be a hazard during the potential dangerous and wild weather.
“Residents should remain vigilant and be assured that the latest weather and emergency updates will be available and regularly updated via the Ipswich Disaster Dashboard and Council’s Facebook page,” said Mayor Harding.
As well as cancelling bin collections, the following council services will be impacted: Resource recovery centres: closed Thursday, 6 March and Friday, 7 March. Expected to reopen Saturday, 8 March. Opening and closing times are dependent on weather conditions.
Ipswich Pound and Animal Management Centre: closed until further notice.
Queens Park Environment Centre: closed, expected to reopen 9am Tuesday, March 11.
Nature estates and services: closed from Wednesday, March 5, until further notice, including: Purga Nature Reserve, Flinders - Goolman Conservation Estate (Hardings Paddock and Flinders Plum day use areas), Hillview Drive Reserve, White Rock - Spring Mountain Conservation Estate, Haig Street Quarry Conservation Reserve, Denmark Hill Conservation Park, Ipswich Nature Centre: closed from 12pm Wednesday, March 5, until further notice, Nerima Gardens, Queens Park: closed from 12pm Wednesday, March 5, until further notice.
Mobile nursery, Camira: the scheduled service at Camira on Saturday, 8 March, has been postponed to a date to be advised.
Ipswich Libraries branches: closed from Thursday, 6 March to Monday, 10 March. This includes all library branches as well as the self-serve library pod at Karalee.
Council-owned swim centres: closed until further notice. These centres are at Bundamba, Leichhardt, Goodna, Rosewood and Springfield Orion Lagoon.
Ipswich City Council customer service centres: closed Thursday, 6 March and Friday, 7 March. The customer service centre will continue to take phone calls during these times.
Ipswich Civic Centre, Ipswich Art Gallery, Studio 188, North Ipswich Reserve Corporate Centre, Fire Station 101, Ipswich Visitor Information Centre: closed from close of business Wednesday, 5 March, to Monday, 10 March.
Council-managed community centres: closed from close of business Wednesday, 5 March to Monday, 10 March.
Sporting grounds: closed from close of business Wednesday, 5 March to Monday, 10 March.
Citizenship ceremony: the ceremony on Monday, 10 March has been rescheduled to 2 April at Ipswich Civic Centre.
Local Disaster Management Group Chair Councillor Andrew Antoniolli encouraged residents to stay up to date with local weather and emergency information in the coming days.
“It’s imperative we all look out for one another. Safety is council’s number one priority at this point,” Cr Antoniolli said.
“I would urge all residents to do the neighbourly thing and to look out for one another, particularly those who may need that help. If we work together, we will get through it together.
“While council is pausing some service delivery, I want to assure residents its disaster response teams are continuing to work through to respond to Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
“I encourage residents to keep up to date with information by checking the Ipswich Disaster Dashboard at Disaster.qld.gov.au and following council’s Facebook page for updates.
“As well, tune into radio stations ABC 612 and River 949.”
To help residents prepare for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, Ipswich City Council has undertaken the following actions:
Sandbags: Sand and sandbags are available at the following locations, with residents asked to bring a shovel to fill sandbags:
Rosewood Council Depot, 155-165 Mill Street, Rosewood
Raceview Council Depot, 182/250 Briggs Road, Raceview (6am - 6pm)
Redbank Plains Recreation Reserve, corner Cedar Road and Moreton Avenue, Redbank Plains
Henry Lawson Bicentennial Park, 533-569 Karrabin Rosewood Road, Walloon
Evan Marginson Park, 6 Layard Street, Goodna.
Sand and sandbags will be available at Briggs Road Depot until 11am on Thursday 6 March and at other locations through the morning of 6 March, until supplies are exhausted.
Green waste disposal: Council is accepting domestic quantities of green waste at its Riverview and Rosewood resource recovery centres until close of business on Wednesday 5 March to help residents get ready by clearing their garden of garden waste and branches that may become a hazard.
Blue bag large items kerbside collection: Extra vehicles are running to collect blue bags already out for collection as part of council's on-demand kerbside service.