Lockhart River Mayor Wayne Butcher says a resilient disaster coordination centre is needed to ensure better management and faster response in the event of a cyclone. Photo: Supplied.
When disaster strikes, communication is key, but for Lockhart River, the lack of a dedicated coordination centre means response teams all work separately with no way to share information.
In the wake of Tropical Cyclone Narelle, as well as several other cyclones and the 2025 earthquake, the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council is working towards finding funds for a disaster coordination centre that can withstand up to a Category 5 cyclone.
Mayor Wayne Butcher said it was time to invest in a centre equipped with backup power and technology to assist in “managing the community and keeping people’s lives at a lower risk”.
“Whenever there’s an event, especially a cyclone, we’re operating in silos,” he said.
“The Local Disaster Management Group is forced to work in a situation where some people have phone reception, some have Wi-Fi, some have two-way.
“For most of us, when the power goes out, it cuts everything – all our technology – so we have the police and the SES at the police station, the ambos and Ergon at the health services, and the rest of the council staff in their own place of shelter.”
He said trying to coordinate a response and protect the most vulnerable members of the community from scattered locations was not working.
“We can’t move during the event, but once the power or communications are out, we can’t communicate either,” the Mayor said.
“The same centre could also cater for the most vulnerable in our community as well — the elderly or very ill, and those who live in demountable housing, who don’t have any other options.
“If we lost power for some days, as has happened in other Cape York communities, it could also serve as an emergency backup centre for water and food.”
For those who live in low-set block homes, he said it would still be safer to remain in their own residences, rather than trying to move into a shelter.
“Instead of having a big mob of people under one shelter, we would be better off with fewer people to manage during the event,” he said.
“A coordination centre would mean we can keep up with state and regional disaster management discussions.
“It needs to be in the community where the event is actually happening, and we don’t have anything like that at the moment.”
Tropical Cyclone Narelle, along with a number of severe weather events and an earthquake, has put the lack of a disaster coordination centre in Lockhart River in the limelight. Photo: Wayne Butcher.
