Brisbane's CityCats and Ferries Have Been Suspended Until Further Notice Due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred
Services stopped on Monday, March 3, 2025 to move the vessels to safety ahead of the storm making landfall — and all ferry terminals are now closed.
If hitting the Brisbane River is your usual way to get around town, you'll need to change your plans for the near future. With Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaching southeast Queensland and expected to make landfall in or near Brisbane at the end of the week, Brisbane City Council has suspended the River City's CityCat and ferry services.
As announced on Monday, March 3, 2025, the last services until further notice ran on Monday evening. As at midnight the same day, all ferry terminals, between UQ St Lucia and Northshore Hamilton have also closed.
John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons
While the weather impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred aren't yet being felt in Brisbane, CityCats and ferry services have been stopped so that the vessels can be moved to safety.
Announcing the news, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that the council had "made this decision to prioritise the safety of passengers, crew and our vessels ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred."
"A combination of high tides, flash flooding, dangerous high winds and intense rainfall creates a serious safety hazard, including debris on the Brisbane River."
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At the time of writing, all other public transport services in Brisbane — so, buses and trains — are still operational ahead of likely wet, windy and wild weather. In the past, flooding has seen the entire network shut down, and Brisbanites advised to avoid all non-essential travel. As Tropical Cyclone Alfred is felt in the River City, it won't be surprising if this happens again.
Exactly when CityCat and ferry services will be up and running again hasn't yet been advised, and will obviously depend on the conditions. The Bureau of Meteorology's latest advice, issued at 4.52am AEST on Tuesday, March 4, notes that the cyclone is currently Category 2, with 95-kilometre-per-hour winds at its centre and wind gusts reaching 130 kilometres per hour. While it's presently 560 kilometres east of Brisbane and 560 kilometres east of Maroochydore, moving south southeast at six kilometres per hour, it is forecast to turn towards the Queensland today.
It's then predicted that Tropical Cyclone Alfred will cross the southeast Queensland coast either late on Thursday or early Friday morning.
Tropical #CycloneAlfred (Cat 2) is currently located 560km east of #Brisbane and #Maroochydore. It is currently moving southeast but is expected to turn westwards toward the #Qld coast later today.
Latest: https://t.co/QdjBLkJdvZ pic.twitter.com/ElW9n39oVQ
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) March 3, 2025
To keep up to date with the latest conditions, warnings, alerts and timetables, Brisbanites can head to the below services:
- The Bureau of Meteorology's Queensland warnings page, tropical cyclone advice, Queensland X and Facebook
- Brisbane City Council's emergency dashboard
- Brisbane City Council's X and Facebook
- Translink's website, X, Facebook and Instagram
- Queensland Fire and Emergency Services's website, X, Facebook and Instagram
- Qld Traffic
Stay safe and dry out there, Queenslanders.
Brisbane City Council will continue to update its emergency dashboard. For other transport impacts, keep an eye on the Translink website.
The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to update its warnings and maps regularly — visit its website for further details and updates.
Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
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