CNS closed for TC Jasper

[docjames]

Not great - will be difficult to get any on the ground support in with the airport closed

I note the last two aircraft out were international flights and looked like they only just made it…..

 

[The Flying Brick]

A little bit of good news is that all the Terminal Buildings and the T1 & T2 car parks didn’t flood

 

[docjames]

A little bit of good news is that all the Terminal Buildings and the T1 & T2 car parks didn’t flood

That certainly makes for sooner re-opening.

The runways and terminal areas appear elevated relative to a lot of the surrounding land - access road and main highway (west of the airport boundary) will be significant issues as fairly low lying. Around where the flooded aircraft appear.

I think staffing could be problematic too - many will have usual access routes cut for some days.

 

[Lynda2475]

I have friends meant to fly in on Saturday, and myself on 28th, we are closely following events now as to whether airport will open and whether things will have recovered enough to go or should we cancel whilst still refundable.

 

[docjames]

CNS have done a great job keeping a message on their landing page up to date:

UPDATE:​

7.45am 18/12/2023: The flooding on the aerodrome has subsided. However, given our proximity to the Barron River, there is significant debris that needs to be removed and cleaned. We will then be in a position to assess our runway infrastructure, to determine its serviceability. This will take some time. As such, we can confirm that operations will not recommence at Cairns Airport today. Please do not travel to the airport today.​

​

All flights scheduled for today have been cancelled or delayed. Please contact your airline directly for information about specific flights.​

​

We also wish to reiterate that our domestic and international terminals, including the car parks, have not been adversely impacted.​

Road closures North of the airport

 

[ksthommo]

Was flying JQ CNS/DPS this morning on QFF Points with extras paid on the Credit Card.
Received a flight cancellation email last night with a link to flight options.
Had a few choices, via Adelaide 19/12 or via Melbourne or Sydney 20/12 and other options, other dates.
Selected via Sydney 20/12, safer bet, 4.5 hr flight turns into a 14 hr journey, blame it on the rain.

All good except Jetstar manage my booking stated I owed $42.50 (paid this one, shouldn't have) and then $63.00.
3-4 hours later finally sorted with a knowledgeable Jetstar rep over the phone. Was going back and forth between
Qantas and Jetstar Online Chat throwing the ball back in each others court. Have to contact Qantas Trade Team to sort
out what happened, later. That will be fun.

Heavy Rain finally stopped overnight, residents/tourists stranded, flooded in/out etc, feeling for you.
We were lucky, not in a flood prone area and didn't lose power during the past weeks events.

 

[jonboixxx]

Cairns Airport​

·

Cairns Airport Update | 4pm 18/12/2023

Good afternoon. The team at Cairns Airport, with support from a number of external businesses, have worked throughout today to pump water out, clear and inspect the runway, along with its lighting and infrastructure. We are happy to report the runway is now clear and the runway lighting is operational, so the aerodrome is serviceable for aircraft movements.
We held a briefing with our airline partners and other key stakeholders a short time ago, and provided a detailed update.
Airlines will now assess their own flight operations and procedures to determine when they can recommence services at Cairns Airport.
Please contact your airline directly for information about specific flights, particularly if you have a service booked tomorrow (Tuesday).
We are grateful for your ongoing cooperation and understanding. The safety of the public, our community and stakeholders is our highest priority.
We wish to again reiterate that our domestic and international terminals, including the car parks, have not been adversely impacted by the flooding.
A further update will be published at approximately 7.30pm tonight.

 

[jonboixxx]

For anyone looking to head from CNS north to Port Douglas, there is a landslide at Ellis Beach and also at least 2 around Turtle Cove and Rex Lookout on the Captain Cook Highway. Some boat operators are advertising transport between Cairns and PD on Cairns Notice Board facebook page.

 

[Saab34]

I would stay away from the region for a couple a weeks, will be some flow on effects from all this still to come. The ranges roads will be closed on and off while they address issues and deal with some random aftermath issues that pop up over the next month.

 

[PineappleSkip]

We’re still aiming to leave for CNS on Wednesday. The Palmerston and Cook highways are a mess, and you still can’t get to some of the Northern Beaches, but the Bruce has reopened throughout apart from the Tully River which I reckon will be right by tomorrow. The Gillies Hwy has also reopened already. All confirmed on qldtraffic. The other giveaway is the green lines on google maps traffic view.

The residual issue ATM is the drinking water situation in CNS, which we’re keeping an eye on. I’d check with your accom if booking as a lot of places are shut. I checked Accor’s website and over half their properties aren’t taking bookings.

 

[jastel]

That photos of the GA side with the flooded cars...the cars are basically parked in a drain. It might make the airport build a real.(high double storey) car park and get all these FIFO workers to pay for parking rather than blocking 3/4 of the roads in the area and parking for free.
The main terminals and roads were not in any real danger as they are much higher.

There has been hardly any rain in the last 16 hours and the water is going down rapidly.
The Capt Cook Hwy to PD is as pictured above, be out for weeks they are saying.
Kuranda Range has 1 lane open for emergency use only, but is expected to open to the public tomorrow, probably with stop/go and one way roadwork sections.
The Gillies reopened this afternoon, but has stop/go and one way bits as well.
The Palmerston and Rex are more seriously damaged and will be weeks as well.
People are getting through to Townsville now but there is still a little water over the road, and may change on the tides and further rainfall.

The Northern Beaches are smashed and will need time to clean up. The roads and water pipes etc are just gone...the rest of the city is pretty normal. Though with the reduced staff levels we have mentioned. Many businesses prematurely closed on Monday (today) expecting more rain, but it stopped in the city about midnight and the roads were dry this morning and it could have been business as normal. The cows on the run were rounded up today as well.

Should you come to Cairns - up to you...for family reunions it probably wont bother you but dont be expecting a seamless tourism experience. I would avoid the Northern Beaches, Port and Daintree for a week or two but. If the sun comes out it will be stinking and humid, or it might rain again...all perfectly normal Xmas weather here.

The water plants are up and running again but it will take time to refill the reservoirs again...and the beaches will take longer for repairs as there is pipe damage.

The main city has NOT and DID NOT run out of water but would have if they couldnt access the plants today and clear the blockages...which they did. We were asked to conserve water to make the reservoirs last longer.

 

[The Flying Brick]

For anyone looking to head from CNS north to Port Douglas, there is a landslide at Ellis Beach and also at least 2 around Turtle Cove and Rex Lookout on the Captain Cook Highway. Some boat operators are advertising transport between Cairns and PD on Cairns Notice Board facebook page. View attachment 359164

Here’s the aerial shot of the same landslide near Rex Lookout.
The big boulder in the middle is supposedly the size of a house

 

[PineappleSkip]

Should you come to Cairns - up to you...for family reunions it probably wont bother you but dont be expecting a seamless tourism experience.

Ta for the water update Relly run it is for us, and by great good luck the three different places all the visitors have booked are all still running. We’re just expecting another FNQ experience.

Yeah and for the rest of it, we’re still waiting for landslides during the 2022 flood event to be repaired.

 

[Lynda2475]

Last two years have gone to Port Douglas, this year luckily decided on Cairns, since its still 10 days away I still plan to go as I have no need to head up to Daintree, just want to catch up with local friends, chill and read a book and do some outer reef snorkeling/diving which hopefully will be unaffected.

Obviously if things deteriorate and there is no drinking water then will reassess, but i would think the tourism operators if they are running would appreciate the business in what is typically a slow time of year.

 

[jastel]

Cant see why reef tours should be affected apart from staffing problems and any new weather issues.

The news really dramatises the worst bits...75% of Cairns has no damage, power, water etc all fine. I never lost power for a minute at my place even in the "cyclone". Avoid the beaches and Daintree and you wont notice any difference.

Talk is some tour boats will take people going to Port Douglas via the water, so that is something different. Back to the Boom days with Skase's Hovercraft...lol.

 

[jastel]

The Airport has advised it will be reopening tomorrow, (Tuesday) and first flight is expected to arrive around lunchtime. Just had a little shower here...but radar is clear except for Cape Trib and further North.

 

[Saab34]

The news really dramatises the worst bits...75% of Cairns has no damage, power, water etc all fine

7/9/10 and especially breakfast TV do not rely on for any info during these events. Just utter trash from them

 

[jastel]

Its a good laugh for us locals as they replay footage from Cyclone Yasi because in this case nothing happened and claim its "LIVE".

One guy was at the Pier, at the Cairns River mouth ?? with a scoop about a fence panel that was blown over. The other reporters all stood beside the one fallen tree for their extravaganzas.
But my favourite is the way they stand in the rain and tell you how it is so dangerous and to stay home and bunker down etc...all while doing the exact opposite thing themselves.

Unfortunately now everyone has a TV camera in their pocket they all do the same thing and drive around looking for something to film and put on Facebook instead of staying home as per govt requests. While the pictures are important to get the story out and locals helping locals where there is no other choice is ok, but people should not be driving their jetskis and boats from 30km away to the problem areas just to film themselves "helping".

This guy has the right idea,,,

Suns out and blue sky here today...cue the mossies...
The Chinooks flew over this morning so they will be evacuating Wujal Wujal and others up Cooktown way. Airport is operating, most things open but still no Capt Cook Highway so mass traffic jams the other way as everybody wants to go shopping again for bog rolls...

 

[Lynda2475]

@jastel friend who is supposed to fly on Saturday is panicking a bit. Do you happen to know if the esplanade lagoon is open? Were any of the CBD hotels impacted?

 

[jastel]

I havent been right into the city for a couple of days but if the lagoon is not open now it should be by Saturday, they might not have it all cleaned up etc, with the previous water restrictions.

The has been no further rain here since Monday.

I have not heard of any CBD hotels getting any serious damage, they might have lost a pot plant or something...

I was down Stockland shops today and it was mayhem, everybody doing last minute shopping etc.
That will continue until Sunday night like every other year.

The CBD is open, its really only Machans, Hollaways and Yorkeys where the bad damage is. They are restricting access to the damaged areas to residents and helpers, they dont want rubberneckers in there which is sensible.

The Capt Cook Hwy is open to Palm Cove....not Ellis Beach, Port Douglas and further north. Kuranda and Gillies Ranges are open with care and ongoing roadworks. Dont think Kuranda train reopened yet but Skyrail opened today. Road south to Townsville open. Any driving you should expect potholes and damaged roads and probably roadworks, speed reductions etc.

A Cairns CBD holiday is still ok so long as you dont want to see Daintree and Port Douglas etc everything else should be open...normal Xmas day closures apply of course.