This report draws together findings from three event reports to provide a consolidated, system‑level view of disaster management performance during the 2025 significant weather events in Queensland. It identifies common strengths, recurring challenges and cross‑cutting themes, and considers how lessons observed can inform future policy, planning, training and operational practice across Queensland’s disaster management arrangements.

The report provides a whole-of-state summation of three events:

• North Queensland Floods (29 January to 28 February 2025)
• Tropical Cyclone Alfred in South-East Queensland (1–16 March 2025)
• Western Queensland Floods (21 March to 19 May 2025).

The scale of these events was extensive, impacting 73 of the 77 local government areas and one town authority. The impact across Queensland was widespread, with numerous local government areas affected by distinct weather events.

This report examines their collective impact on the disaster management sector and the Queensland community. It also provides an analysis of any commonalities between the three events. It discusses the cascading and compounding impact of the three events on the disaster management sector. It reflects on the changing face of disasters, and how strategic-level planning in response to complex and potentially catastrophic crises can be achieved.

Key recommendations

• The secretariats of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee (QDMC) and the State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG) extend in-person invitations to telecommunications entities to attend QDMC and SDCG to brief and participate in intra-agency planning in future disaster events.
• The Department of Primary Industries lead a discussion with relevant stakeholders to establish a framework for the procurement of, and distribution of fodder during disasters.
• The Queensland Police Service convene a meeting with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other state entities deploying aviation assets to disaster operations to discuss air operations in uncontrolled airspace and complex environments to determine what 'safe practice' looks like, as well as 'good practice'.
• The Queensland Reconstruction Authority lead a multi-agency discussion on the appropriate duration of community self-sufficiency in the context of emerging disaster risks.