Get Ready Queensland Week has officially launched at Kedron’s State Disaster Coordination Centre, with Queenslanders being urged to prepare now for bushfires and the approaching severe weather season.
Read: Kedron Brook 20-Year Vision Sets Out Plans For A Healthier, More Resilient Waterway
The annual preparedness campaign was launched at the centre to showcase Queensland’s disaster response capability while encouraging households to take practical steps before an emergency occurs. This year’s campaign places a stronger focus on bushfire preparedness as Queensland enters a higher-risk period, while also looking ahead to the state’s broader disaster season.
Three Steps To Get Ready
The campaign is built around three key actions: know your risk, make a plan and pack a kit. Households are encouraged to understand the disaster risks that may affect them, create a severe weather emergency plan and prepare an emergency kit stocked for periods of isolation.
A severe weather emergency plan can help households know what to do and who to contact during a disaster. The campaign encourages Queenslanders to make these arrangements before severe weather affects their community.
The latest Get Ready Queensland guidance recommends checking emergency kits against a preparedness checklist, including sufficient food and water for at least five days. Households are also encouraged to keep supplies such as spare batteries, charged power banks, a battery-operated radio and important documents ready.
The new online Get Ready Queensland Checklist breaks severe weather preparation into small, achievable actions that people can tick off and build on over time. The campaign also encourages Queenslanders to understand the risks in their local area and take practical steps to prepare their households.
The timing of the campaign comes as Queensland approaches the peak period for several types of severe weather. Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Laura Boekel said October to April is the peak period for storms, tropical cyclones and floods across the state.
Ms Boekel said eastern Australia has its highest risk of severe thunderstorms from October to December, including southern Queensland. Queensland typically experiences around three to four tropical cyclones each season, while hotter conditions can also increase the risk of heatwave conditions.
Preparing Homes And Families
Households are also being encouraged to take practical steps around their properties. Queensland Fire Department Commissioner Steve Smith urged residents to understand their local risks, clean their gutters, clear excess vegetation and have a plan for what the household will do if disaster strikes.
The campaign is also being supported by Get Ready Queensland ambassador Johnathan Thurston, who features in the new Get Queensland Ready advertising campaign. Mr Thurston said the new campaign would help spread the message about the importance of preparation across Queensland, where disasters can affect communities differently.
The Kedron launch also highlighted Queensland’s disaster response capability and the importance of working together when communities are affected by severe weather. Queensland Reconstruction Authority CEO Major General Jake Ellwood said small steps taken before a disaster could make a significant difference when an emergency occurred.
“Severe weather can strike quickly and without warning,” Mr Ellwood said, encouraging Queenslanders to follow the three steps of knowing their risk, making a plan and packing an emergency kit.
Get Ready Queensland Week runs from October 5 to 11, giving residents an opportunity to review their disaster preparations and take practical steps ahead of the season. The campaign’s resources include information on preparing for severe weather, while Queensland Fire Department provides an online Bushfire Survival Plan that can be tailored to individual circumstances.
The official Get Ready Queensland Week program lists the Queensland launch at Kedron State Disaster Coordination Centre on Tuesday, October 6. The campaign is also supported by preparedness activities and events across Queensland during the week.
Read: Downfall Creek Project Changes a Familiar Stafford Heights Park
The launch at Kedron’s State Disaster Coordination Centre has put community preparation at the centre of the campaign. Checking emergency supplies, discussing a household plan and understanding local risks are among the practical steps residents can take now to be better prepared for the season ahead.
Published 7-October-2026
