NSW public schools closed ahead of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred are reopening across the Northern Rivers, as the NSW Department of Education carries out safety assessments to check for damage following days of heavy rainfall, strong winds and localised flooding. In a statement released this afternoon, the Department of Education said:As the acute impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred begins to ease and the state begins the clean-up efforts, we are focused on ensuring our students and staff are safe while returning to their local public school.  Of the 253 public schools that were closed last week, around 170 have now been assessed for safety and will reopen on Tuesday, 11 March, 2025 and that tally is being updated constantly. Some schools will remain closed while further clean-up work takes place. As the Department carries out its safety assessments, some damage to schools has been reported, along with multiple instances of fallen trees, which need to be made safe before students and staff can return. To stay up to date on flood impacts and school closures in your local area, please check the Department of Education website. Further updates on school operations are expected after 6.30pm.Catholic and independent schools and early learning centres are also expected to be carrying out similar assessments, and families should check the department or local school websites for further information.   Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:“I want to thank our families for their continued patience during this ongoing disruption to learning. “Our work to carry out safety assessments at affected schools is well underway and we expect to have most schools that had been closed back up and running tomorrow.“Unfortunately, we have encountered some damage to schools, which the Department will work to make safe and rectify.”

UPDATE 6:30pmBallina Road is all but clear.ORIGINAL STORYA car accident on Ballina Road near the Invercauld Road turnoff is causing long traffic for those travelling east.The advice is to keep away from the area, and if you have to travel, go through East Lismore, up Cynthia Wilson and through Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah. However, the traffic queue has reduced in the last ten minutes..Reports say the traffic was banked up to Lismore Base Hospital on Rotary Drive and before the Rotary Drive roundabout on Ballina Road.It is believed a car was trying to turn right onto Ballina Road when it was hit, followed by another car hitting the rear of that car.ADF personnel were near the accident and helping on scene.More to come.

The last of the evacuation orders was lifted just before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at the Lismore SES base on Brusnwick Street today.The NSW SES advised that North Lismore residents may now RETURN WITH CAUTION to the following area(s): North Lismore, including Lismore showground and all properties between Cusack Road, Woodlawn Road, Winterton Parade, Pitt Lane, Bridge Street, Terania Street and Dunoon RoadSavins Road, WoodlawnSt Johns College WoodlawnPitt LaneLow lying parts of Pine StreetWinterton ParadeWotherspoon StreetThe SES says to take care when returning to the area as flood damage can be widespread. What you need to do:Drive slowly, plan your route carefully to avoid any flooded roads and allow extra travel time. Damage to roads and buildings caused by flooding may still exist in your area.Be aware of road hazards including mud and debris.Remain vigilant as there could still be water in low lying areas.Take care as local roads could still have water over them.Check in on your neighbours if safe to do so.Check on animals and livestock.If you are isolated and require resupply, contact NSW SES on 132 500If your property has been affected by floodwater:Make sure your property is safe before entering. Check for damage to windows, walls and the roof and be careful of potential dangers including asbestos.Make sure the electricity and gas are turned off before going inside. Use a torch to carry out inspections inside buildings.If power points, electrical equipment, appliances or electrical hot water systems have been exposed to floodwater or are water damaged in any way, they must be inspected by a qualified electrician before use.Gas appliances and gas bottles that have been exposed to floodwater should be inspected for safety before use.Wear suitable protective clothing, including boots and gloves when cleaning up.Sandbags that have been in contact with floodwater need to be thrown away. Sturdy gloves should be worn when handling wet sandbags as they can contain chemicals, waste, and diseases.Be aware of any slip, trip or fall hazards.Never eat food which has been in contact with floodwater.Only use clean utensils and personal items.The Wilsons River level at Lismore has dropped minimally since this morning, and reads 7.73m at 2:14pm. The moderate flood level is 7.2m.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was at the SES Lismore base on Brunswick Street at midday announcing an addition to the Federal Government's Disaster Recovery Allowance.The announcement will not please local business owners who were optimistic about receiving government support for loss of income over the last week."I can say that from tomorrow, eligible workers and sole traders in South East Queensland and Northern NSW, who have lost income as a direct result of ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred, will be able to access up to 13 weeks of income support that will click in and be available for applications from two o'clock tomorrow."People can check on their eligibility by logging in now to the My Gov website or the Services Australia website."While sole traders will be happy, small business owners who are registered as a company will feel let down by the federal government as the support measures have failed to take a further step to include many businesses in the CBD, South and North Lismore.The difference between sole traders and companies is in their legal, tax and reporting obligations. The set-up costs for sole traders is less than that for a company. Mayor Steve Krieg was disappointed today's announcement did not include a small business owners."13 weeks income support is the exact same package after the 2022 flood, but the circumstances are vastly different as most of our staff are going to back at work this week. It's the actual employers, in my opinion, that need the support but haven't had the income generated from doing business over the last week, which means that suppliers are going to struggle to get paid. "While I welcome any sort of income support relief, 13 weeks is a bit exorbitant, and I would prefer to see the money go to the actual employers, the small businesses themselves, to be able to stay in business, and pay not only their staff, but their suppliers as well."To be eligible for the Disaster Recovery Allowance, a person’s income must have fallen below the average Australian weekly income as a result of the floods.Applications will open at 2pm local time, Tuesday 11 March.Before they claim, people can check their eligibility on the Services Australia website at: Natural disaster support (Services Australia).

Premier Chris Minns announced the closure of evacuation centres in Lismore at SCU and other parts of the Northern Rivers once evacuation orders have been lifted.In Lismore, the final order is for North Lismore residents. This will be lifted as soon as flood waters recede enough and roads become passable. At 11am, the Wilsons River height at Lismore was 7.83m."These are not permanent solutions to that region's housing challenges," the Premier said, "As the premier, I am fully aware of the significant challenges for housing in the Northern Rivers, but evacuation centres are not permanent solutions. They just can't be."We don't have the resources, the staffing, the time, the allocation. In many cases, they are community centres or licensed premises or clubs or university facilities that need to be returned to those communities."So I want to apologise in advance, but we have to draw a very clear and understood line in relation to evacuation centres when the immediate threat of the storm is no longer felt by the community, we will not continue to operate them, and as the day wears on, we will be closing down evacuation centres once the SES believes that the threat to the local community has been lifted."Our efforts in relation to housing for that community are ongoing, but they're perennial challenges, they're very difficult. I want to reiterate and emphasise they're not going to be solved with the permanent evacuation centres, and I don't want people to be disappointed when the government announces that we're not continuing with their operation once the threat has been relieved inside those communities."Premier Minns also mentioned about further grants being announced later today, hopefully including additional business support."We'll speak a bit later today about grants we're working with the Commonwealth Government and the Queensland Government about what we will roll out as it relates to emergency grants for affected communities, where, at the moment, looking at the assessment, the economic damage, the actual damage to those communities. The latest information I have is that we should be able to say something later today, but as soon as we've got a package to announce we'll do that as soon as we can."Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be in Lismore this afternoon. He announced employees can apply for up to 13 weeks payment for those who are unable to get to work, who have lost their wage because of Cyclone Alfred from 2pm today.People can check eligibility there on the MyGov website. Essential Energy crews are continuing with the massive cleanup and restoration effort in the Northern Rivers as weather conditions remain challenging.Helicopters are being used where possible to survey remote areas of the network to help identify the damage before plans can be made on how to safely access the locations.As at 10:30am, around 10,000 homes and businesses remain without power across various communities from Tweed Heads south to Grafton and west to Armidale, with this number expected to slowly decrease throughout the day if the weather holds. Around 6,000 of these are in the Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah regions.Some locations will require special equipment and climbing crews due to the nature of the terrain which won’t be able to proceed until the weather has cleared.Unfortunately, a tree has come down on a powerline that has caused Mount Nardi to lose power again after teams restored it last night. Crews are back on the job this morning. Mount Nardi is home to several transmission towers for FM radio, digital television, fixed wireless broadband and some mobile phone services. Community hubs will be established later today and tomorrow to provide support to customers, including access to the internet and charging for mobile devices. Locations will be listed on electronic signboards that will be placed throughout impacted communities.

The Wilsons River is likely to remain above moderate flood levels today (Monday) as further rainfall in the catchments makes the lowering of river levels a slow process.Rainfall in the last 24 hours was lower in the southern end of the Northern Rivers. Lismore airport recorded 27.4mm to 8:30am, Ewing Bridge at Corndale 61mm, Dunoon 66mm and Terania Creek 55mm.Further to the northeast, the falls were a lot higher. Huonbrook 152mm, Goonengerry 129mm, Mullumbimby Creek 105mm, Mullumbimby Upper Main Arm 127mm, Uki 108mm and near the Queensland border Bilambil Heights recorded 272mm.Christie Johnson, a senior meteorologist with the Burea of Meteorology, said the highest falls were in South East Queensland with Wangawallen (inland Gold Coast) recording 400mm and areas of the Sunshine Coast 350mm.Unfortunately, the low pressure system is drifting south for most of Monday, meaning there is a very high chance of rain, and heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding. The easterly winds will turn more northeasterly after midday, which will see less rainfall for Tuesday. Possible showers is the forecast with a 0-7mm range.Shop owners looking to get back in and trade will be doing so under trying conditions, but no worse than they have faced in the last five days.Christie Johnson said river levels continue to fall slowly at Lismore, "River levels are likely to remain above the moderate flood level through to Monday evening".A Severe Weather Warning is current for heavy rainfall for the Northern Rivers. This rainfall may cause renewed river level rises at Lismore from late Monday onwards. The situation is being closely monitored and warnings will be updated as necessary.The Wilsons River had fallen to 7.91m at 8:38 this morning.For the rest of the Northern Rivers, major flooding is occurring at Coraki and Bungalbyn, moderate flooding at Woodburn and renewed flooding is possible at Kyogle from Monday afternoon.The BOM says that river levels are peaking at Coraki and Bungawalbyn, where major flooding is likely to continue through to Monday evening. Moderate flooding continues at Woodburn.In the upper Richmond catchment, renewed minor flooding is possible at Kyogle from Monday afternoon with forecast rainfall. Minor flooding continues at Casino, where river levels are slowly falling.A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall is current for the Northern Rivers. This rainfall may cause renewed river level rises along the Richmond River. The situation is being closely monitored, and warnings will be updated as necessary.Richmond River at 6:35am:Major flooding is occurring along the Richmond River at Coraki and Bungawalbyn. Moderate flooding is occurring at Woodburn, and minor flooding is occurring at Casino.The Richmond River at Kyogle is currently at 9.56 metres and rising, below the minor flood level (12.00 metres). Renewed rises to the minor flood level (12.00 metres) are possible along the Richmond River at Kyogle from Monday afternoon.The Richmond River at Casino Road Bridge is currently at 9.24 metres and falling slowly, with minor flooding. The Richmond River at Casino Road Bridge is expected to fall below the minor flood level (9.20 metres) around 07:00 am Monday morning.The Richmond River at Casino (automatic gauge) is currently at 12.05 metres and falling slowly, with minor flooding. The Richmond River at Casino (automatic gauge) is expected to fall below the minor flood level (11.90 metres) around 07:00 am Monday morning.The Richmond River at Coraki is currently steady near a peak of around 6.20 metres, above the major flood level (5.70 metres). The Richmond River at Coraki is likely to remain above the major flood level (5.70 metres) through to Monday evening.The Richmond River at Bungawalbyn is currently steady near a peak of around 5.70 metres, with major flooding. The Richmond River at Bungawalbyn is likely to remain above the major flood level (5.00 m) through to Monday evening.The Richmond River at Woodburn is currently at 3.87 metres and rising, above the moderate flood level (3.70 metres). The Richmond River at Woodburn may reach around 4.00 metres late Monday morning, with moderate flooding.

There will be a partial restoration of public transport services today in Lismore, the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast to support communities who have not been seriously impacted by the tropical low.  Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins said commuters should check if their regular bus and train service is running again. “Communities on the Mid North Coast in towns like Coffs Harbour, Kempsey and Port Macquarie will see a return to some bus services,” Mr Collins said. “All Port Macquarie regular route services, 33 regular route services in Coffs Harbour and Kemspey Town and 285 school services in Port Macquarie will be operational. “On demand services in Lismore and Coffs Harbour will also be operational, which will give people more travel options in their local community.”  In the Northern Rivers areas such as Tweed, Grafton, Yamba, Kyogle, Ballina and Byron, will have over 1000 school services cancelled on Monday as well as 109 regular routes. Transport for NSW has been liaising with the Education Department through the State Emergency Operations Centre to ensure a whole of government approach.  For updates passengers are urged to check Transportnsw.info and the transport apps.  TrainLink Chief Executive Roger Weeks said from tomorrow NSW TrainLink will recommence limited coach operations through to Grafton.  “After suspending services late last week due to the condition of roads and the safety of passengers heading to the far north of the state, we have recommenced some of our services,” Mr Weeks said.   “There will be limited coach services from Taree to Grafton, with altered stopping patterns. At this stage Nambucca Heads and Macksville will be unable to be serviced by NSWTL coaches.”  “Rail replacement services through to Brisbane will be established while the Australian Rail and Track Corporation (ARTC) have the North Coastline closed, which is with no rail traffic operating north of Taree or south of Acacia Ridge.”  ARTC has advised that they plan to inspect their network tomorrow via helicopter, and if safe to do so, access to the network via crews on the ground to ascertain any damage.  ARTC will proactively assess damage and commence rectification. Once the damage has been assessed, ARTC will be in a better position to provide a return to service.  Transport for NSW works alongside emergency services to reopen major roads as quickly as possible with a focus on safety for all road users, including our crews and emergency service staff in the field.  When major roads are closed, Transport needs to assess the overall impact of the natural disaster on the roadway and undertake safety reviews and inspections before we can safely reopen the road. In some cases, reopening may involve heavy vehicle load limits and speed restrictions should further repairs be required.  “Our message is to avoid non-essential travel, but if you do need to drive, please slow down in the wet and drive to the conditions,” Mr Collins said.  Please follow the directions of our traffic crews and never drive into or enter floodwaters.   For the latest traffic information on the road network visit www.livetraffic.com, download the Live Traffic NSW app or call 132 701.  For up-to-date information, including where to find an evacuation centre, visit the NSW SES website www.ses.nsw.gov.au/. For the latest warnings download the Hazards Near Me app. For the latest weather warnings, please visit the Bureau of Meteorology website: http://www.bom.gov.au/ 

Planned surgery and outpatient care services at Northern NSW Local Health District will resume from Tuesday 11 March where possible, subject to staff availability.Emergency departments also remain open 24 hours a day, so people who need to seek emergency care should continue to do so.Tracey Maisey, NNSWLHD Chief Executive, said healthcare staff continue to provide ongoing care to the community as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to impact the region.Ms Maisey said patients will be contacted if their planned appointment or surgery needs to be postponed, but any patients not able to make their appointments should inform the relevant health service so these appointments can be made available to others.“They say when the going gets tough, the tough get going and that is certainly the case when it comes to our workforce,” Ms Maisey said.“To date, more than 370 staff stayed away from their homes – some for up to four days – to ensure emergency and urgent care services to patients across the NNSWLHD’s eight hospitals and four multi-purpose services.“Most of these staff slept on-site in the hospitals to ensure they were able to report for duty the next day, lending a hand to unpack and deliver supplies and assisting in evacuation centres.  “While the emergency is not yet over, we are indebted to all our staff, both clinical and non-clinical, for their incredible efforts to provide the best possible care for our community over the duration of this weather event. “We are also extremely grateful to those NSW Health staff, including registered nurses, mental health and allied health workers, who have travelled from other locations across the state to provide back-up support in our hospitals – thank you! With their support we are planning to resume normal operations, where possible, from Tuesday.”Ms Maisey said 130 patients were delivered to emergency departments by NSW Ambulance across the NNSWLHD on Saturday 8 March, following 118 presentations on Friday, both higher than normal. Walk-in emergency department presentations were slightly lower than usual as people chose to stay home during the adverse weather. Friday saw 435 walk-in ED presentations across the District and Saturday saw 520 – lower than the usual 600-plus presentations per day. This is expected to return to normal from today. Technical support teams, with the support of emergency services, worked well into the night to distribute back-up telecommunications equipment, while healthcare workers from NNSWLHD and Healthy North Coast continue to provide support at evacuation centres across the region.Helpful resources:If your life is in danger, please call Triple Zero (000).If you need medical advice and care, call Healthdirect for free, 24/7 on 1800 022 222 and speak to a registered nurse. They can also connect you or your children with virtual health care services, so you can receive care from wherever you are. If you need crisis support, please call Lifeline Australia at any time on 13 11 14. Children and young people can call Kids Helpline at any time on 1800 55 1800 or chat online at kidshelpline.com.auFor non-crisis support, please call beyondblue on 1300 22 46 36. There’s also a range of online resources to support you and your loved ones. Please visit Beyondblue and Lifeline online. Young people should visit heaspace.org.au, Kids Helpline or ReachOut.comMore information on mental health services and support can be found on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/services/Pages/default.aspx.

As Lismore's weather slowly improves and hopefully sees the sun peak through another rainy day soon, attention will turn further to the recovery effort for Lismore and other Northern Rivers LGAs.Now that residents and businesses can move back into the CBD, it's time to think about our local businesses. They have not only missed over a week's worth of trade that adds up to tens of thousands of dollars for each business, but they have experienced the anxiety of not knowing whether business will be flooded once again.When asked how it felt that the levee wall would not be overtopped yesterday, Mayor Steve Krieg said, "It's a massive relief. But again, the work begins now. A lot of our businesses were in a precarious financial position before this set in, and so people will be keen to hear the evacuation orders being lifted. It is a massive relief."I was talking to one of the business owners who said, 'packing up is quick, setting up again is a three day process'. So, they're hoping to be back up and trading on Wednesday. That's over a week without an income, and with all the staff that are employed that need to be paid, that's a, still a massive stress and a strain on our small business community, there's no doubt about that."I will just mention the waste and the cleanup is very important with the help of the state government, the EPA. One of our big abattoirs has got 20 tons of carcasses to be disposed of because of power loss. All of those sorts of compounding issues with the green waste, but we'll be working hard to make sure that our Lismore community can get access to our waste facility. There's a massive cleanup ahead of us, just due to our outages."Yesterday afternoon, the streets of the CBD were quiet; however, there were a few business owners already at work putting back shelving and beginning to restock the shelves so they can start trading again.Matt Healy from Daleys Hardware and Monogramming was one of those in his Keen Street shop. Matt was taking the opportunity to update his layout before reopening on Tuesday morning at 8:30.(Matt Healy from Daleys Homewares and Hardware on Keen Street)Matt Bone from Planet Music was also in his shop next door to Daleys, and was just about to move his guitars back in his shop. Planet Music will open at 9am today.Kyle Wood from Southside Chempro on Casino Street, South Lismore is another business reopening tomorrow. If you need your srcipts filled or are after medication pop into Kyle and the team.The Tropical Cyclone Recovery Support website is now live, and can easily be accessed through the Lismore App Flood Recover button (Cyclone Alfred) or directly through https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/tropical-cyclone-alfred-recovery-updates.Individuals can get help through grants for low-income earners, as well as help clean and remove damage to their properties.Not-For-Profit businesses can get access to concessional interest loans and grants, but a regular business can only receive concessional interest rate loans.Premier Chris Minns was asked if the state government had looked at further business help, such as grants that can be given to Lismore businesses that have struggled with debt from the 2022 flood, delayed tax debt and recently, lower consumer spending due to higher cost of living."I'll answer it because it's a very good question. You're absolutely right. Janelle and Steve will hug you first and then put you in a head lock and say, we need help. We're actively looking at it. We're talking with the Commonwealth Government. We've also been speaking with the Queensland Government. We want to make sure that we act."We think we'll have more to say as early as tomorrow in relation to the next stages of community grant support. We need to make sure that it works. And I can't announce it today, but it's not far off."Local businesses will be anxiously waiting to see what help will be coming there way later today.

Blood donors are urgently needed nationwide as the impact of Cyclone Alfred has led to a shortfall of more than 1,000 blood and plasma donations a day (+4,000 donation shortfall).Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has been forced to close 22 donor centres across Northern NSW and Queensland due to the cyclone, including the Lismore Donor Centre and six regional mobile centres.Executive Director of Donor Experience, Cath Stone said the safety of donors and staff was Lifeblood’s utmost priority. “We do not want anyone putting themselves in danger during this weather event. We are calling on people in other parts of the country to step up and book a donation so we can make up this shortfall.  “Blood is a critical resource and there are patients across Australia, including in impacted areas, who are reliant on blood and plasma donations.” She said additional blood supplies were pre-emptively sent to hospitals in affected areas to counter any possible impact on blood delivery services with further stocks sent from unaffected states.“We’ve been working closely with hospitals this week to ensure they had enough stock before the cyclone arrived.“We’re a national organisation and can move blood around as needed, but we can’t replenish stocks without people donating. “There may be people out there thinking, 'How can I help?’ Donating blood ensures that patients in these communities get the medical treatment they need,” Cath added.The Lismore Blood Donor Centre (1/26 Bounty Street) will reopen today from 8am to 2pm. Plus there will be a Ballina pop-up donor van from 9am to 12midday at Ballina Library, in the Ballina Richmond Room, 5 Regatta Ave, Ballina.Lifeblood’s thoughts are with everyone affected by the flooding.To book a donation call 13 14 95, visit lifeblood.com.au or download the Donate Blood App. 

Residents of South Lismore will read this story with glee as life begins to slowly return to life pre-Cyclone Alfred. The Wilsons River is sitting at 8.35m at 8:34 on Sunday night, still above a moderate flood level of 7.2m.The NSW SES has advised that residents from South Lismore may now RETURN WITH CAUTION to the following area(s): South Lismore and surrounds including all properties along Kyogle Road between Casino Street and Leycester RoadLow-lying areas near Ostrom StreetParts of South Lismore to the north of Hollingsworth CreekSouth Lismore industrial areaAll properties around Casino Street and Union StreetSouth Lismore Airport and surrounding areasThe advice from NSW SES is to take care when returning to the area as flood damage can be widespread. What you need to do:Drive slowly, plan your route carefully to avoid any flooded roads and allow extra travel time. Damage to roads and buildings caused by flooding may still exist in your area.Be aware of road hazards including mud and debris.Remain vigilant as there could still be water in low lying areas.Take care as local roads could still have water over them.Check in on your neighbours if safe to do so.Check on animals and livestock.If you are isolated and require resupply, contact NSW SES on 132 500If your property has been affected by floodwater:Make sure your property is safe before entering. Check for damage to windows, walls and the roof and be careful of potential dangers including asbestos.Make sure the electricity and gas are turned off before going inside. Use a torch to carry out inspections inside buildings.If power points, electrical equipment, appliances or electrical hot water systems have been exposed to floodwater or are water damaged in any way, they must be inspected by a qualified electrician before use.Gas appliances and gas bottles that have been exposed to floodwater should be inspected for safety before use.Wear suitable protective clothing, including boots and gloves when cleaning up.Sandbags that have been in contact with floodwater need to be thrown away. Sturdy gloves should be worn when handling wet sandbags as they can contain chemicals, waste, and diseases.Be aware of any slip, trip or fall hazards.Never eat food which has been in contact with floodwater.Only use clean utensils and personal items.

Due to the impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, including a heightened risk of flooding, public schools in the affected areas that were closed on Friday will remain closed on Monday, 10 March as the Department of Education assesses the damage to school infrastructure and overall safety.The full list of non-operational schools, TAFE colleges and early childhood education centres is available on the Department of Education website: https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/school-operational-statusWe request families in these areas do not send children to school on Monday. The safety of students and staff is our highest priority as the full impact of this weather event continues to unfold and the risk of flooding continues to pose significant danger to life, especially on roads.While so far there have not been reports of major damage or flooding to schools, there will be further assessments made tomorrow as debris including fallen trees are cleared and the clean-up is underway.   Non-government schools in affected areas have been advised to remain closed on Monday but parents should check individual school websites for any updates.The Department of Education will issue further communication on Monday regarding the resumption of school operations from Tuesday, March 11. It is expected that most schools will be able to resume, but it is too early to confirm the operational status for all schools.  As schools outside the affected areas prepare to begin NAPLAN testing from Wednesday, 12 March, the NSW Education Standards Authority will work with affected schools to start testing later if needed. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis and NESA, in conjunction with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, will provide advice to schools as they become operational.We want to do everything we can to ensure our school communities are well supported and our staff and students are as safe as they can be.Download the Hazards Near Me App to stay across the latest warnings and information. If you need emergency assistance in floods or storms, call the NSW SES on 132 500. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said, “As the full impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to unfold and clean-up efforts begin to get under way, our priority is ensuring the safety of students and staff.“While thankfully, we have not had reports so far of major damage to our schools in affected areas, that does not mean staff and students are safe to travel to and from schools tomorrow and we are asking that parents keep their children at home.“I want to thank parents for their understanding during this difficult period and give special thanks to the many teachers who have volunteered their time in evacuation centres and with the SES and other organisations during the emergency and clean up.  “As we conduct more detailed assessments of the impacts of this weather event on our schools and their local communities tomorrow we will be able to confirm which schools will be able to open from Tuesday, and provide an update on the likely testing window for NAPLAN.”

Not every Lismore resident got the message that kerbside pickup was suspended last week as Cyclone Alfred approached the coast. There was quite a bit of confusion on social media.Well, if Monday is your collection day, put your bins out as Lismore City Council has advised that kerbside collection will resume tomorrow (Monday, 10 March 2025), including business waste collections.Residents whose bins were not collected on Wednesday 5, Thursday 6 and Friday 7 March are asked to place all bins on the kerbside for collection on their regular scheduled bin collection day.The Return and Earn will be open tomorrow between 10am and 3pm, with the Lismore Revolve Shop reopening on Wednesday, 19 March (9am to 2pm). This extended closure is due to staff being redirected to completing inspections of the expected higher volumes of green waste.The Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens will remain closed until further notice.The Nimbin Transfer Station will reopen on Tuesday, 11 March, 8am to 3pm.As was the case after the 2022 big flood, residents of the Lismore City Council area can dispose of their flood waste for free at the Recycling & Recovery Centre at Wyrallah Road in East Lismore, which reopens tomorrow.Initially, residents can drop off their flood waste for free from tomorrow until Close of Business on Sunday, 23 March.Council will then reassess demand and inform the community if any extension is required.Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg made the announcement following the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.“We really dodged a bullet with this one, but there is a lot of damage, including downed trees,” he said.“Our residents shouldn’t have to bear the cost of this weather event.“Council will provide free drop off for waste generated as a consequence of the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, including general waste from flood-affected properties and green waste from storm damage.”Council asks residents to ensure green waste is free from general waste. If any load is found to contain asbestos not properly double-wrapped and sealed in plastic, it will be rejected.During this period, community members attending the facility should expect longer wait times and we ask that you please be patient as Council resumes operations.

District Commander of the Richmond Police District Scott Tanner gave further details about what occurred at yesterday's ADF accident on Tregeagle Road at today's media briefing at the Workers Sports Club in Goonellabah.Commander Tanner said this was the largest accident he has attended in his 32 years of policing."The response from the emergency services was outstanding, but also the response from ADF personnel. I was the third car on scene by the time I got there, they had triaged all of their patients, except the ones that had been trapped in the vehicle. They were providing first aid to each other, and some were actually providing first aid to themselves."Two ADF vehicles were traveling along Tregeagle Road at Tregeagle, they had been tasked to attend and assist the SES with some tree removals."At a point on the roadway, both those vehicles overturned. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but what I one can say is there were 32 military personnel on board. All 32 were conveyed to hospital."As the Premier said, we still have two that are in a serious condition."Commander Tanner said all personnel were wearing seatbelts. "There is a large four-point harness in those large trucks," he said, "and certainly the injuries were lessened.""One vehicle had left the roadway and had overturned in a paddock. It had rolled a number of times. And one was blocking the entire road."All I can say is that it was a very hectic scene when we arrived. We had patience of varying injuries up and down the roadway, and still had four persons trapped."Within two hours, we had every person in that location in hospital. They were taken to Twedd Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina and Lismore. Only Lismore has patience left in it.Commander Tanner confirmed that spinal injuries were the worst suffered by the 32 ADF personnel."I really want to thank the ADF because they have come up here to help the community and unfortunately, were involved in this very tragic accident, but our hearts and our thoughts and our prayers go out to their family, and we're very appreciative of the efforts they put in."This sentiment was supported by Premier Chris Minns."I think I speak on behalf of everybody in New South Wales when we wish a speedy recovery for all of those young soldiers. We genuinely appreciate their presence here in this aftermath of the cyclone. "And I just want to say on a broader point, when it comes to the involvement of the ADF in civil matters, particularly natural disasters, we are full of praise for the dedication and selflessness of ADF personnel. We appreciate them being involved, particularly in relation to Alfred, and I want to see, if it's at all possible, more of it in the future. "We really, really genuinely congratulate and are full of gratitude to the Commonwealth Government for deploying early the ADF personnel, notwithstanding the accident last night, this is incredibly important when it comes to community confidence."The skills and expertise of the ADF, and I'd hate to see it dampen the federal government's involvement in these natural disasters. The bottom line is, we need you. They do an incredible job, and we're very grateful for it."

The good news keeps rolling in for Lismore on a rainy Sunday, as the NSW SES has advised that the Lismore CBD, East Lismore near Wade Park, Upper Jiggi Creek, Upper Goolmangar Creek, Upper Black Creek at Bentley and Upper Terania Creek can return home with caution.The advice from NSW SES is to take care when returning to the area as flood damage can be widespread. Acting Superintendent NSW SES Stuart Fisher told today's media briefing, "This morning, we reduced the warning in Lismore from an emergency warning to evacuate to advise return with caution. So that's the start of the process for us going forward now. And as some rivers start to recede, we will adjust those warnings appropriately."So, for those in parts of South Lismore, North Lismore and the Wade Park area of East Lismore, it is only a matter of time before you can return home.While that is good news for Lismore, the news for our neighbours to the south in the Clarence Shire has a number of prepare to evacuate orders in place, including Kempsey and Ulmurra.Acting Supt Fisher gave the rainfall figures for Meldum, west of Coffs Harbour. They received 926mm over the cyclone period with next doo neighbour Dorrigo recieing 850mm. To give that some perspective, Lismore airport received 351.4mm in the last four days. If the Meldrum rainfall had fallen in the Lismore catchment, we would still be talking major floods and the levee being overtopped.There were a further six flood rescues overnight, which included a family of eight."Unfortunately, one of those was a family of two adults and six kids tried to navigate through flooded waters. SES crews were able to get there, and they are safe. But again, it highlights the same issue we talk about time and time again. Do not drive through flooded waters."It absolutely astounds me that this still occurs, but in the end, a good result."Before you do return home, the NSW SES say you need to:Drive slowly, plan your route carefully to avoid any flooded roads and allow extra travel time. Damage to roads and buildings caused by flooding may still exist in your area.Be aware of road hazards including mud and debris.Remain vigilant as there could still be water in low-lying areas.Take care as local roads could still have water over them.If your property has been affected by floodwater:Make sure your property is safe before entering. Check for damage to windows, walls and the roof and be careful of potential dangers including asbestos.Make sure the electricity and gas are turned off before going inside. Use a torch to carry out inspections inside buildings.If power points, electrical equipment, appliances or electrical hot water systems have been exposed to floodwater or are water damaged in any way, they must be inspected by a qualified electrician before use.Gas appliances and gas bottles that have been exposed to floodwater should be inspected for safety before use.Wear suitable protective clothing, including boots and gloves when cleaning up.Sandbags that have been in contact with floodwater need to be thrown away. Sturdy gloves should be worn when handling wet sandbags as they can contain chemicals, waste, and diseases.Be aware of any slip, trip or fall hazards.Never eat food which has been in contact with floodwater.Only use clean utensils and personal items.

Business owners in the Lismore CBD and others in low-lying areas of North and South Lismore will be breathing a huge sigh of relief this morning as the Bureau of Meteorology said, "The Wilsons River at Lismore (AHD) is likely to remain around the moderate flood level (7.20 m) during Sunday." The threat of the levee wall being overtopped caused high anxiety for many owners as their very existence was on the edge if flood waters entered their shops. Debt from the 2022 big flood, delayed tax bills and lower consumer spending has seen them struggle to keep the doors open in the last two years.The immediate question for business owners is when they can get into their shops, restock and start trading to get some income flowing.Residents will be waiting for the okay from the NSW SES.The BOM said that the Wilsons River levels may fall below the moderate flood level (7.20 m) during Monday.The move of Tropical Cyclone Alfred to a low-pressure system has allowed Essential Energy access to fallen powerlines. As of 10:30am, just over 16,000 homes and businesses are without power across various communities from Tweed Heads south to Grafton with this number likely to change throughout the day.An Essential Energy spokesperson said, "Crews are working to clean up, repair and restore wherever it is safe to do so; however, customers need to be prepared to be without power for several days. The biggest challenges to getting power back on will be rising flood waters and swollen creek beds, fallen vegetation and mud slides impacting access roads."Additional crews from across the Essential Energy network are travelling into the area today to assist. Community hubs will be set up in the coming days to provide support to customers, including access to charging for mobile devices and access to the internet."A big focus for today is to work on the restoration of power at Mount Nardi is home to several transmission towers for FM radio, digital television, fixed wireless broadband and some mobile phone services."Severe weather is continuing to hinder restoration efforts with plans to survey the network via helicopter unable to proceed for safety reasons until conditions improve.Essential Energy has also received a number of reports of the community approaching fallen powerlines. They want to remind customers in Northern NSW to stay at least 8 metres away from fallen powerlines and to assume that these assets are live and very dangerous as the impacts of ex-cyclone Alfred continue to cause damage to the electricity network.If you see fallen powerlines or any trees on the network, please call 13 20 80 to report the location.For up-to-date information on impacted locations and estimated restoration times (when known), visit our website outages page.Power outages are largely responsible for 12,000 outages across the nbn fixed line and fixed wireless networks across Northern NSW. Equipment connected to the nbn network will not work during a power outage.For a full list of affected areas and suburbs click  IMPORTANT UPDATES - Cyclone Alfred.

Residents in Lismore and the Northern Rivers have an end in sight from the effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, now a low pressure system. Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology said the weather should clear on Wednesday.Until then, we can expect some heavy rainfall which will become more isolated as we get through Sunday.Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred moved on shore last night, around 9 or 10pm over Bribie Island in Queensland and continued to move inland. That is after it stalled for about 12-18 hours on Saturday just off the coast due to a weakening high pressure system in the Tasman Sea that was steering Alfred. A new high pressure system has moved into the Tasman Sea and resumed its westerly track inland over South East Queensland.It has now washed out and ended, and now it's just a week low as it continues moving further inland through South East Queensland, bringing a lot of rain.That ended a 16-day period where Tropical Cyclone Alfred developed on the 24th of February and then weakened last night offshore before crossing overnight on Saturday, 8 March 2025."Today is all about the rainfall that's likely to be experienced across much of South East Queensland and far north east New South Wales," Dean Narramore said."We can see widespread falls of 50 to 150 millimeters in these areas, with isolated falls up to two, three, even 400 millimeters possible, particularly with any intense thunderstorm activity or any convergence zones where we have this really heavy rainfall concentrating over a certain point. So that's what we'll be watching today."And those kind of rainfall numbers on top of everything that's already fallen, could lead to widespread flash and riverine flooding in South East Queensland and North East New South Wales today."We're going to see all this rain and activity kind of spread inland, as we move through today. And then an upper trough is going to move in from Central Australia and drag that activity into northern New South Wales on Monday and Tuesday. But we're still likely to see showers and thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday in South East Queensland, while rain and storms continue in New South Wales. "Finally, by Wednesday, the weather system will finally shift all this wet weather to coastal parts of New South Wales, further south, and then find a clearing mid to late week."In Lismore and the Northern Rivers, there were some heavy falls in the upper catchments, with Terania Creek recording a further 113mm, Huonbrook 130mm, Mullumbimby Upper Main Arm 141mm.The Wilsons River has fallen to 8.84m overnight, from a high of 9.3m yesterday afternoon. However, the Bureau has continued its major flood warning."Moderate flooding continues along the Wilsons River at Lismore, where river levels peaked Saturday afternoon. With forecast rainfall, renewed river level rises are possible at Lismore, and river levels may reach the major flood level during Sunday."Further heavy rain is still possible over the Northern Rivers with ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, and there remains a risk of river levels at Lismore reaching levee heights if intense rainfall develops."A Severe Weather Warning is current for NSW including the Wilsons River catchment."THE RICHMOND RIVERFor other parts of the Northern Rivers, The Bureau said at 6:50am Sunday:Major flooding is occurring along the Richmond River at Coraki and Bungawalbyn and minor flooding is occurring at Kyogle and Casino. Moderate flooding may occur at Kyogle and Woodburn. Minor flooding may occur at Wiangaree.The Richmond River at Wiangaree is currently at 6.64 metres and falling, below the minor flood level (11.0 m). With forecast rainfall, renewed river level rises are possible, and the river level may reach the minor flood level (11.00 m) during Sunday.The Richmond River at Kyogle is currently at 11.92 metres and falling, above the minor flood level (12.00 m). With forecast rainfall, renewed river level rises are possible, and the river level may reach the moderate flood level (14.40 m) during Sunday.The Richmond River at Casino Road Bridge peaked at 11.02 metres around 07:45 pm Saturday 08 March and is currently at 10.67 metres and falling, above the minor flood level (9.20 m). The Richmond River at Casino Road Bridge may remain above the minor flood level (9.20 m) during Sunday.The Richmond River at Casino (Automatic Gauge) peaked at 13.70 metres around 08:00 pm Saturday 08 March and is currently at 13.42 metres and falling, above the minor flood level (11.90 m). The Richmond River at Casino (Automatic Gauge) may remain above the minor flood level (11.90 m) during Sunday.The Richmond River at Coraki is currently at 5.79 metres and rising, above the major flood level (5.70 m). The Richmond River at Coraki may reach around 5.90 metres Sunday morning, with major flooding. Further rises are possible, with forecast rainfall.The Richmond River at Bungawalbyn is currently at 5.28 metres and rising, above the major flood level (5.00 m). The Richmond River at Bungawalbyn may reach around 5.40 metres Sunday morning, with major flooding. Further rises are possible, with forecast rainfall.The Richmond River at Woodburn is currently at 3.64 metres and rising, above the minor flood level (3.20 m). The Richmond River at Woodburn may exceed the moderate flood level (3.70 m) Sunday morning. The river level may reach around 3.90 metres late Sunday morning, with moderate flooding. Further rises are possible, with forecast rainfall.As the NSW SES warnings have continuously said, don't drive through flood waters.

There is some good news this morning regarding yesterday's accident on Tregeagle Road when two Australian Defence Force (ADF) military vehicles crashed. The number of injured soldiers was 13, and they appear to be non-life threatening.Emergency services were called to Tregeagle Road, Tregeagle, about 5pm (Saturday, 8 March 2025), after one vehicle left the roadway and rolled several times into a paddock, and a second vehicle tipped onto its side attempting to avoid the first vehicle. The vehicles did not collide with each other.Each vehicle carried a driver and 15 passengers.Officers attached to Richmond Police District and Police Rescue, NSW Ambulance paramedics, Fire and Rescue NSW, SES and RFS members worked with ADF personnel from the convoy to remove and treat the 32 occupants.All were taken to hospitals in Lismore, Tweed Heads, Ballina and Byron Bay for assessment, with 13 requiring treatment; police have been advised the injuries appear to be non-life threatening.Officers attached to the Far North Coast Crash Investigation Unit are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Mal Lanyon, the NSWRA CEO, has announced the appointment of Scott Tanner to the vital role of Cyclone Alfred Recovery Coordinator.This position has been a long time coming, and we take the appointment as one of the improvements from the February 2022 flood. It was a position that Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has requested continuously for the last three years.Mr Lanyon said while the response phase of Alfred has been the focus of government and emergency service agencies, the NSWRA has been formulating a plan so we can move into the recovery phase quickly."One of the major learnings from '22 is we want to recover the community quicker. To that effect, in my role as State Emergency Recovery Controller, I have today appointed superintendent Scott Tanner as the Recovery Coordinator for the reasons affected by Cyclone Alfred.(NSWRA CEO Mal Lanyon announces the appointment of Scott Tanner yesterday)"Scott is the commander of the Richmond police district and has extensive experience in emergency management. I work closely alongside Scott after the 2022 floods. He's greatly respected by both the community and the civic leaders throughout the community, and I know that he will make sure that we drive recovery quickly.""The Reconstruction Authority has been working closely with councils, the EPA and transport, to make sure that we really focus on cleaning up quickly. We've noticed there is significant amounts of debris right throughout the community. We want to make sure that's cleaned up quickly so the community can see progress."We also want to support councils to make immediate roadworks so that roads are back in their normal state. We focus very quickly on establishing recovery assistance points, which are places where we have all of our partner agencies come together and are really a one-stop shop so that members of the community can seek service prior to those being established. But we will be out in the community with the SES to make sure that we can provide support to the community and understand the needs. Further details will be provided."Communication is always a key factor in recovery, and we want to make sure that the community know exactly what services are provided and what we can do to support you and so that you can access if you require help. From tomorrow, there will be a website, https://www.nsw.gov.au/cyclonealfredrecovery. That site will contain all the information about recovery and services that you can access, information that is available to assist you."We've also had a first meeting with community groups to make sure that we've got significant engagement working, and that will continue throughout the process."District Commander Scott Tanner said it is quite an honour to be appointed as the recovery coordinator."The lessons that I took out of 2022 will serve us well today. But not only do I know what worked, I know what didn't work, so our focus would be on getting this community back to as near as possible as it was pre-event. And with that in mind, I've already started discussions with our partner agencies, SES, public works, most importantly, the Reconstruction Authority."I can assure you that I'll work tirelessly to get all this work done as quickly as possible. Three main focuses for me will be around the three R's. That is the road network, rubbish removal and resupply. If we get those three things done quickly, we can get this community back to how it needs to be."Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin welcomed Scott Tanner to his new role and said this was a good way of moving forward into the recovery."I'd also like to thank the community, it's really important, I can't do it enough. They were prepared. They heeded evacuation orders. I mean, everyone doesn't always have to agree with everything, but they acted, and they acted well, and that made the preparation better."As part of the recovery, around 350 ADF (Australian Defence Force) personnel have set up base at GSAC in preparation to assist the community with its recovery efforts.Ballina airport will reopen tomorrow (Sunday, 9 March) with Virgin Australia flights set to resume its direct flights to Sydney.There is a caveat, however, these flights remain subject to ongoing weather conditions and may change at any time. You can check directly with Virgin Australia for the latest updates via https://flightstatus.virginaustralia.com/flightNumber.As part of the recovery, Senator Tony Sheldon, the Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery, reinforced the federal and state government's commitment of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.(Senator Tony Sheldon)"There's been an expansion of those funding arrangements. This is the first time the DRFA has been called on before the event has concluded. Glen Innes Severn, Armidale and Tenterfield were added as local government association areas that will be included."$15 million has already been allocated thanks to the state government and the Albanese government. That money is particularly already allocated for dealing with some of the problems that we'll have with regards rubbish, etc, that councils will have to outlay fairly quickly. So, that money is already in place, ready for when that's called upon again.Senator Sheldon also mentioned an additional 120 ADF personnel have been called upon to assist with the recovery plus a number of interstate and international support has come to Lismore."The New Zealand government sent over 66 Disaster Assistance Recovery Personnel, which will be here and assisting Scott and the team."Lismore City Council, while still working on the response to Cyclone Alfred will also be working on a recovery plan, which will need much more than the $1 million committed by the government.Chief Operating Officer Brendan Logan said, "It is encouraging to see the downgrading of TC Alfred weather system as it reaches landfall around Brisbane; however, myself and our teams are not relaxing just yet about the situation in Lismore."A major flood is still a strong possibility. An east coast or tropical low system can also deliver a lot of harm with respect to flooding, so we are still watching the weather closely. We have two full-time staff, Rob Pilling and Jessica Anderson, in the Emergency Operations Centre, just for that. I am in close contact with them, as are our operational teams.(Bridge Street, North Lismore looking toward the showgrounds. Council will need to wait until water subsides to get a complete picture of road damage)"We are; however, already turning our minds to the restoration and emergency works period that will likely commence early next week. We made a lot of rushed decisions last time, that in retrospect didn’t need to be rushed, so we are planning the scoping, accounting and delivery of the IR/EW period with some precision this time."We have had a lot of verbal commitments from the State and Federal Governments over the past few days, and we look forward to seeing those commitments deposited in our accounts so we can commence as soon as it is practical, without any cash flow pressure being placed on our Council."I made a number of call to the senior people on Monday when this looked likely, and I have to give credit to Mal Lanyon and his NSWRA staff, and also TfNSW and NSW Public Works, who all agreed very quickly that advance payments will be required, and not just for Lismore – our colleagues at Ballina, Richmond Valley, Kyogle, Byron and Tweed will all require the same support in recovery.It appears as though the Wilsons River has reached its peak for this event. The concern for Lismore and the Northern Rivers is a second peak if the low-pressure system sends a lot of rain into the catchments over the next 24 hours.