Preparing for wet season and tropical cyclones is part of life for people living in Australia’s north. Wet season runs from November to April every year bringing heavy rain and the risk of tropical cyclones. Here’s how you can help protect your property:

How To Prepare For Wet Season

Don’t leave it until the rainy season arrives to start preparing. Inspect your property in October and follow this property maintenance checklist as a guide:

• Check the roof and fix any loose tiles, eaves or screws.
• Check and repair any rust, corrosion and general wear and tear.
• Clean the gutters and downpipes.
• Ensure the Overflow Relief Gully (ORG) is free from debris to protect your property from sewage overflows.
• Secure any loose items, like outdoor furniture, that could blow away and cause damage in high winds.
• Trim trees and overhanging branches so they’re well clear of your property.
• Do not attempt to trim trees near powerlines. Contact Power and Water on 1800 245 090 to report trees or branches near powerlines that need removal.

Contact your local Whittles team if you have a problem that needs to be fixed. The team can put you in contact with one of our preferred suppliers to fix the issue before the rain .

See our related blog: Top 6 Reasons For Using A Preferred Supplier

How To Prepare For A Tropical Cyclone

According to the CSIRO, Australia experiences 11 tropical cyclones on average every year with four to five of them making landfall. Here’s what you can do to prepare:

Prepare A Household Emergency Plan

Emergency plans outline what every member of your household needs to do if a tropical cyclone or severe storm strikes. Everyone living under your roof should actively participate in developing your emergency plan. Each plan contains lots of important information including emergency contacts, where you’ll shelter if you must evacuate and where to turn off gas, electricity and water supply to your home. The Northern Territory Government has a household emergency plan template you can download from its website.

Prepare An Emergency Kit

Your emergency kit should contain enough provisions to cover each member of your family, including your pets, for three days. It needs to contain all your essential items including water, non-perishable food, clothing, sleeping bags, medicines, toiletries, spare batteries and important documents. Visit the Northern Territory Government website for the full rundown on what your emergency kit needs to include.

Know Where You’ll Take Shelter

You have three shelter options during a tropical cyclone:

1. Stay where you are if your home’s built to code and well-maintained.
2. Go to a family member’s or friend’s home if your property’s not built to code and you feel unsafe.
3. Take refuge at a public emergency shelter.

Check the Northern Territory Government website for information on sheltering safely during a cyclone.

What To Do During A Cyclone

If authorities issue a tropical cyclone warning, you should stay tuned for up-to-date information while you ride out the storm. The Bureau of Meteorology is Australia’s trusted source for local weather information. It maintains a 24-hour watch on tropical weather systems that develop during cyclone season.

ABC Local Radio is Australia’s official emergency broadcaster. Stay tuned to your local ABC radio station or download the ABC Listen app to your phone. Follow the advice that local councils, the territory government and emergency services issue.

What To Do After A Cyclone

Rule number one: wait until emergency services declares the tropical cyclone threat over. When you’ve got the all clear from emergency services to go outside, or return home, start by checking your property for any damage. Take photos of any damage on your phone so you have evidence to show your body corporate or insurer.

If you need to undertake any immediate repairs to make the building safe and stop any further damage being done to the property, photographic evidence is important. Whittles also has an after hours emergency help line that can connect you with contractors to fix any property damage. The help line number is 1300 888 275. You can call this number anytime you’re facing an after hours emergency.

See our related blog: Whittles’ After Hours Emergency Link: Help When You Need It Most

A Word On Property Insurance

If your strata committee/body corporate hasn’t reviewed its building insurance in over two years, we recommend revisiting it before the wet season begins. If your building is under-insured and it’s damaged during a severe weather event, like heavy rain or a tropical cyclone, there can big ramifications. Regularly review your insurance to avoid being caught out.

See our related blog: Is Your Strata Committee/Body Corporate Underinsured?

In Summary

Wet season and tropical cyclones can’t be under-estimated. Both present risks. You can reduce that risk, and protect the people you love and your property, by preparing properly.

Like to know more about preparing your property for the wet season and tropical cyclones? Your Whittles representatives experienced locals who can assist you in preparing for wet seasons and cyclones.

Follow Whittles Body Corporate Management on LinkedIn and Facebook for more body corporate news and updates and visit our Resources page for handy strata management tips and other interesting articles.

Disclaimer: Information provided in this article is general in nature and does not constitute official emergency advice.

Updated: 13 Oct 2023