General News
27 November, 2025
Money needed for rainy day
TO say it has been a turbulent time for the Douglas Shire may seem a slight understatement with the sugar cane industry’s demise and Cyclone Jasper recovery still ongoing nearly two years after the shocking weather event.
Questions that many locals are still asking are: “Why and how did such a catastrophic event happen?” and “What do we do if this scenario should strike again?”
To assist with people’s intrigue, disaster recovery and a potential flood reduction project plan have been discussed at a Douglas Shire Council-organised meeting. This included experts presenting information on the extreme weather conditions experienced during Cyclone Jasper and the findings of an in-depth flood study.
On 11 October, at the CWA Hall in Mossman, meteorologist Chris Nitsopoulos from Weather IQ explained why so much rain fell during the period of the cyclone in December 2023.
A number of events made it difficult for experts to predict how the weather event would track.
“We expected the cyclone to slow down and exit out of the area in a couple of days,” Mr Nitsopoulos said. “That didn’t happen and so the weather system pretty much stalled,” he said.
“Around Wujal Wujal, experts became unsure of the cyclone’s movements and together with the high mountain ranges, that caused warm air to move upwards, this further increased the rainfall.”
Another factor that surprised experts was a weather condition known as a ‘surface trough’, which can form in a very short period of time, unlike the original cyclone which provides more warning. This further affected the rainfall levels and the events duration.
“The Douglas Shire area was under threat for a total of six days,” Mr Nitsopoulos said.
The second part of the community information session was presented by flood team lead Eoghain O’Hanlon from JP Pacific, the company tasked to provide solutions after the subsequent floods during and after Cyclone Jasper.
JP Pacific perform flood, coastal and climate risk assessments throughout Australia, Asia, Indonesia and the Pacific. The company has simulated the impacts of over 10,000 tropical cyclones and typhoons, run over 100,000 wave models and run erosion models over 300km of sandy shorelines. Their modelling is also being used to support disaster management in a number of areas in Australia and the Pacific.
Through research using the Cyclone Jasper event, JP Pacific have evaluated the floods that effected the Douglas Shire, particularly in the Mossman and Wonga areas.
Using their modelling system and levee assessments, they have provided a number of options to improve drainage and avoid future flooding.
“We look at ways to support community and emergency services, plus improve the livelihood of locals and tourists during flood events,” Mr O’Hanlon said.
The options presented provided different solutions, each with varying advantages and disadvantages in terms of flood risk reduction and where the resultant water flow may possibly affect agricultural land. Each option also had different costs, ranging from $279,000 to $3,862,000
Ultimately, it has been recommended that a combination of these options would provide the best solution, each being addressed at different stages to be practically and financially viable.
“Our recommendations, using our research and modelling would make significant improvements in Mossman,” Mr O’Hanlon said.
Local Christopher Saint suggested the cost of the recommended modifications may have financial benefits saying, “we need to weigh the costs to rate payers versus the possible reduction in their insurance premiums”.
A Douglas Shire Council representative said that all of the information would eventually be available to the public, once further studies had been carried out.
I’m off to check the rain radar and the Douglas Dashboard, so for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
