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Last Wednesday, 5 March, the Canberra Declaration, along with many other organisations, put out an urgent prayer call for Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The cyclone, which had traversed over the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Australia, had taken a sudden turn towards the mainland.

In its sights was one of the most populous areas of Australia: south-east Queensland and northern NSW – home to around four million Aussies.

Cyclone Wanda and the 1974 Floods

Back in 1974, around 1.5 million people lived in that same part of Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Wanda crossed the Queensland coastline near Maryborough, north of the Sunshine Coast, on the evening of 24 January 1974. Five days of torrential rain followed, with 500–900mm falling on Brisbane during this short time.

Parts of the Brisbane CBD were submerged under 2 meters of water.

8,000 homes were destroyed, and tragically, 16 people died as a result of the 1974 floods.

Cyclone Wanda was a relatively weak system, but its devastation was caused by rain – not wind.

Considering today’s population is heading towards three times that of 1974, with much greater urbanisation and roof runoff, there was legitimate cause for concern over Cyclone Alfred.

The Canberra Declaration co-founder Warwick Marsh told The Daily Declaration, “We called for a special Zoom prayer meeting to pray for Cyclone Alfred on Wednesday, 5 March.

“At that stage, it seemed like there would be a massive flooding disaster. The dams were full, and the ground was very, very saturated.

“Brisbane is built on a floodplain, fed by the Brisbane River. Lismore, northern NSW, is also built on a floodplain fed by the Wilson River.

“The forecast was for massive floods in both areas. This would have seen much loss of life, and also catastrophic damage to homes in those areas.”

Cyclone Alfred Stalls, Circles and Weakens

On Wednesday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) predicted that Cyclone Alfred would maintain its category two status and cross the Queensland coast “early Friday morning”.

However, on Thursday morning, the BOM reported that the cyclone had “stalled in its movement overnight” and was tracking “slower than initially anticipated”.

In addition, the BOM downgraded their expectations of Cyclone Alfred’s intensity. It was now predicted to hit the mainland as a category 1 cyclone.

Alfred circled back on itself on Thursday – twice – and by the early afternoon on Thursday, was “slowly moving” towards the coast.

On Saturday morning, 8 March, the BOM incorrectly predicted the cyclone would make “landfall this morning.”

But Alfred had other ideas, stalling once again. As Higgins Storm Chasing put it, “stuck in the Moreton Bay mud for about 12 hours”. He finally arrived over the mainland at around 9 p.m. that night. Having weakened to a tropical low early that morning, it was now “ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred”.

Relief for Most, Yet Extensive Damage for Some

Some made light of Alfred’s delay on social media. One person commented in very Australian humour, “Alfred is fluffin’ around in thongs and stubbies after work with the boys having a beer, like the classic Aussie larrikin he is. Keeps texting his missus he’s about to leave, just one more beer, he’s on the way…”

Another posted, “Looks like Alfie is just like your typical bloke – ignored the map, refused to ask for directions.”

Others uploaded footage of people enjoying the rain, bodyboarding down soggy slopes and jet-skiing across huge swells.

Australians facing a once in 50 year cyclone 😝 #CycloneAlfred pic.twitter.com/hAhRXifSPk

— 🇦🇺Angie.Quantum (@InfinityTimesMe) March 7, 2025

However, the lower-than-expected wind still felled trees, smashed house roofs, and left almost half a million without power.

Extensive rain, especially in northern NSW, flooded houses, roads and rivers.

Not everyone emerged unscathed. Tragically, a 61-year-old man died after being swept away by floodwaters near Dorrigo, New South Wales.

Yet there is great relief that the outcome was significantly less severe than expected.

‘Truly an Answer to Prayers’: Vision Christian Media

Vision, based in Brisbane, wrote, “It is with a heart full of gratitude that we share this update on Cyclone Alfred.

“Many of you have been praying faithfully. The cyclone moved a little more north past Brisbane and weakened before making landfall – truly an answer to prayers.

“Even so, many have been affected, and we ask you to keep praying.

“God has placed us here to be His hands and feet, and it has been so encouraging to see believers respond and churches open their doors as places of refuge.”

‘God Heard Our Prayers’: Warwick Marsh

Warwick Marsh reacted, “The good news is, God heard our prayers. We had over 250 people on the prayer Zoom call on Wednesday night, and people joined the prayer call from all over the world.

As a result of answered prayer, Marsh announced that the Canberra Declaration will hold a special Zoom celebration prayer meeting next Monday, 17 March at 8 PM AEDT (you can join on Zoom link zoom.us/j/776881184).

“It should be noted that the inspiration to pray started with James Condon and the Australia Prays team. In the realm of prayer, many hands make light work.

“After we prayed, that’s when the cyclone had erratic behaviour, not continuing to travel towards the coast as expected.

“Many prayed, and the cyclone, which was bearing down on Brisbane, was mysteriously halted and downgraded from a category 2, then category 1, and then to a tropical low before it crossed the land just north of Brisbane on Saturday night.

“The Church and State 2025 conference was held near Brisbane Airport from Friday to Saturday. It’s interesting that the cyclone crossed the land only after the conference had finished.”

“It was All God”: James Dargin

Indigenous elder and pastor James Dargin remarked, “It was all God.”

“When the Church and State conference began on Friday, it was calm and still. The clouds were parted and the sun was shining over the conference”, he recalled.

“It was amazing. I’ve never seen that before. Usually, the clouds are thick and the rain is heavy.”

James took the biblical story in Matthew 8:23–27 to heart.

“Jesus went into the storm. And he asked the disciples why they were freaking out about it.”

‘God Intervened’: Dave Pellowe

Dave Pellow, founder of Church and State, did not know what to do about the national conference to be held in Brisbane. The cyclone was predicted to hit the city at almost the exact time the conference was meant to begin.

“What we did”, Dave told The Daily Declaration, “was the rational, logical response. We asked God.”

“We didn’t make a decision to cancel or continue. We prayed.

“Our intercessor team of around twelve people prayed about the situation. We also asked the speakers for input.

“We didn’t have much time to make a decision. But those who were able to get back to us within those few hours came back with the same answer. They believed they heard God say, ‘Do not cancel.’

“I don’t know that I would have had the courage or confidence to make that decision if it were up to me. But because we had confirmation from God, we decided to obey and go ahead.”

Pellowe points out that others may receive different instructions from God for their circumstances. But for Church and State 2025, the answer was to continue.

He says the lesson to be learned is, “Don’t obey someone else’s word from God. Obey the word that God gives you.”

Pellowe joined the Canberra Declaration Zoom prayer meeting, where he recalled, “We rebuked the storm. We told it to dissipate and be underwhelming.

“And, it turned out, that’s exactly what happened to the cyclone.

“We can’t be mad at the media for creating fear about the cyclone. Perhaps they were right about how bad the cyclone was going to be.

“But we prayed about it, and God stepped in.

“It’s fair to say that the storm didn’t do what anyone predicted and that God intervened.

“Days before the cyclone hit, people were shutting down, closing shops and centres. That was a clear overreaction.

“Obviously, when the rain is horizontal and the winds fierce, that is a wise time to stay indoors.

“But we must place our confidence in God and not allow ourselves to fall into a rational fear of nature (let alone an irrational one).”

Reflecting on the conference, Dave recounts, “The overwhelming takeaway was that God super-ceded my plans and expectations, and implemented His own. But that’s the best outcome, and it’s what we pray for.

“The conference theme, ‘Pulpits aflame with righteousness’, communicates the message to be very bold and courageous and to not fear. And that’s a great message.

“We need a Church that fears God more than anything else.

“God didn’t call us to be safe – but to be true. We have to preach what’s true rather than what’s safe.

“The pulpits should not be missing in action over what is true. We need to truthfully answer the questions the culture is asking. What is marriage? What is a woman? What is life? What is righteous? What is just?

“Sadly, many are are choosing to be popular and safe, rather than courageous.

“God has a message for the Church. And shame on her if we miss it.”

___

Photo via BOM.

Watch the call to prayer for Cyclone Alfred in the video below.