Cyclone Preparation Checklist — Before, During, and After a Cyclone

Cyclone preparation is not something you do the night before. The actions you take in the days and weeks before a cyclone determines how much damage your property sustains. Work through this checklist as early as possible.

7–14 days out:

• Trim overhanging branches and dead trees: Dead or overhanging branches become high-velocity projectiles in cyclone winds. Engage a qualified arborist to assess and remove significant branches near your structure.
• Check shutters and cyclone screens: Test all cyclone shutters and screens to confirm they open, close, and latch correctly. Replace any missing bolts, bent tracks, or damaged hardware now — not when a warning is issued.
• Check roof fixings and gutters: Unsecured or ageing roof sheets and poorly maintained guttering are primary failure points in cyclones. Have a licensed tradesperson assess any concerns.

24–48 hours out (Cyclone Watch or Warning issued):

• Secure or store all outdoor items: Furniture, pot plants, tools, toys, and decorative items must be secured inside or in a locked shed. Anything that cannot be secured should be brought indoors. A plastic chair in 200 km/h winds is a lethal projectile.
• Photograph your contents for insurance: Walk through every room recording video or taking wide-angle photos of all contents. Store the file in cloud storage so it is accessible even if your devices are damaged.
• Know your evacuation zone: Check your local council's cyclone evacuation zone map. Know whether you are in Zone A (most at risk of storm surge), Zone B, or Zone C — and know your designated evacuation route and shelter location.

0–24 hours (Cyclone Warning — imminent impact):

• Fill your car's fuel tank and withdraw sufficient cash — ATMs and fuel stations may be unavailable for days after the event.
• Charge all devices and portable battery banks to full capacity.
• Activate your 72-hour emergency kit — confirm water (4 litres per person per day), food, medications, important documents (stored in a waterproof bag), battery or hand-crank radio, torches, and first aid kit.
• If in an evacuation zone or directed to evacuate — leave early. Do not wait until conditions deteriorate.

Once the cyclone is upon you, your only job is to keep your household safe. Property damage can be repaired — stay focused on people, not belongings.

• Shelter in the strongest room: The internal bathroom or central hallway is typically the strongest part of a domestic structure — no exterior walls, no large windows. Gather all household members and pets there when the cyclone is imminent.
• Stay away from windows: Even with shutters closed, windows can fail under extreme wind pressure. Do not stand near external walls or windows during the cyclone.
• Avoid candles: Use torches or battery-powered lanterns only. Candles and cyclone-force winds are a fire risk.
• Never go outside during the eye: The eye brings a sudden, deceptive calm. Cyclone eyes typically pass in 20–60 minutes. Violent winds resume with the rear wall — stay sheltered until the official all-clear from BOM or emergency services.
• Emergency contacts: 000 for life-threatening emergencies, SES 132 500 for storm assistance, BOM app and radio for weather updates.

The official all-clear has been issued. Now the recovery process begins — and the actions you take in the first 72 hours determine the outcome of both your insurance claim and your restoration timeline.

• Wait for the all-clear: Do not venture outside until emergency services confirm it is safe. Downed powerlines, structural instability, and debris hazards remain after the cyclone passes.
• Document damage photographically: Before any cleanup — photograph every damaged element of your property. Roof damage, structural damage, water ingress, interior damage, contents, vehicles, and outbuildings. This evidence is the foundation of your claim.
• Lodge your claim as 'cyclone damage': When calling your insurer, specifically state "cyclone damage" not just "water damage" or "storm damage." Cyclone is a distinct insured event under most home and contents policies and triggers different assessment and coverage provisions, including the ARPC Cyclone Reinsurance Pool for eligible properties in Queensland, NT, and northern WA.
• Request an IICRC-certified contractor: Submit your claim through Disaster Recovery to be matched with a vetted NRPG contractor for your area. In cyclone events, NRPG contractors are pre-positioned in affected regions and ready to respond as soon as access is restored.
• ARPC Cyclone Pool applies in FNQ, NT, and northern WA: The federal government's ARPC Cyclone Reinsurance Pool covers cyclone risk for eligible properties north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Your claim process is unchanged — lodge through your insurer as normal. The pool is designed to ensure cyclone insurance remains available and affordable in high-risk regions.

Tropical Cyclone Maila — a Category 5 system — made landfall on the Far North Queensland coast between April 11–14, 2026. If your property was affected by TC Maila, the following applies:

• NRPG pre-positioned in FNQ: NRPG restoration contractors were pre-positioned in Cairns and surrounding regions ahead of TC Maila's landfall. Contractor matching and deployment is active as access roads reopen.
• Lodge at disasterrecovery.com.au/claim for priority queue: Claims lodged through Disaster Recovery for TC Maila-affected properties are queued for priority response. Submit your claim now to secure your place in the contractor dispatch queue.
• ARPC Cyclone Reinsurance Pool is active: TC Maila is a qualifying cyclone event under the ARPC pool for eligible properties in FNQ, NT, and northern WA. Lodge your claim as "cyclone damage — TC Maila April 2026" and reference the BOM event number.
• Do not wait to document: The longer you wait to photograph and document cyclone damage, the greater the risk that secondary weather events, cleanup activity, or further deterioration alters the original damage evidence. Document now and lodge immediately.