Brisbane City Council
Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9:
Moreton Island Sub-plan
2015
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
The Brisbane City Council Moreton Island Sub-plan is an operational level sub-plan
that sits within Brisbane City Council’s Local Disaster Management Plan, prepared
under the terms of the Disaster Management Act 2003 (Queensland). It is supported
by standard operating procedures (SOPs) that outline the procedures to be followed
when the Moreton Island Sub-plan is activated. These SOPs are internal documents
and are available on Council’s Disaster Management intranet or through the Disaster
Management Office.
References
Table 1 summarises a comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of the many
interrelated documents that provide authority for this Plan.
Table 1: Moreton Island Plan reference list
References
A.
The Queensland Disaster Management Act 2003, current approved edition
B.
Queensland Disaster Management Planning Guidelines
C.
Australian Emergency Management Handbook Series – Handbook 4 – Evacuation
Planning
D.
Emergency Management Queensland, Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for
Disaster Management Groups
E.
Public Safety Preservation Act 1986
F.
Brisbane City Council Evacuation Plan 2013
G.
Brisbane City Council Evacuation Standard Operating Procedure
H.
Emergency Response Procedure, Action Plan for Emergencies – Queensland
Parks and Wildlife Service 2011
I.
Wildfire Response Plan – Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service 2011
J.
Department National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing website:
http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/moreton-island/index.html
K
2013-2014 Queensland State Disaster Management Plan
Page i of ii
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
Table of Contents
References ..................................................................................................................i
1.0
Introduction................................................................................................... 1
1.1
Audience ..................................................................................................... 1
1.2
Approval ...................................................................................................... 1
1.3
Custodian .................................................................................................... 1
1.4
Purpose ...................................................................................................... 1
1.5
Authority ...................................................................................................... 1
1.6
Activation .................................................................................................... 1
1.7
Moreton Island stakeholders ....................................................................... 1
2.0
Scope............................................................................................................. 3
2.1
Assumptions ............................................................................................... 3
2.2
Definitions ................................................................................................... 3
3.0
Moreton Island Quick Facts ......................................................................... 4
3.1
Brisbane City SES Unit, Moreton Island Group ........................................... 4
3.2
Cruise ships ................................................................................................ 4
4.0
How To Use This Sub-Plan During Operations........................................... 5
5.0
Risk Management ......................................................................................... 7
5.1
Tangalooma Resort specific plans .............................................................. 7
6.0
Evacuation Process...................................................................................... 8
6.1
Chain of Command / Control of agencies on Moreton Island ....................... 9
7.0
Warning ....................................................................................................... 11
7.1
Set up & Pre-position ................................................................................ 11
8.0
Withdrawal .................................................................................................. 13
9.0
Extraction .................................................................................................... 14
10.0 Reception & Relocation.............................................................................. 15
11.0 Return .......................................................................................................... 16
APPENDIX 1 – ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...................................... 17
Page ii of ii
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
1.0 Introduction
This Moreton Island Sub-plan is designed to be a guide for the evacuation, shelter
and support services for people affected by an emergency or disaster event on
Moreton Island.
1.1
Audience
This sub-plan has been prepared for Council, the Lord Mayor, Brisbane LDMG,
Council Business Units, and key external stakeholders.
1.2
Approval
This Moreton Island Sub-plan is approved by the Brisbane LDMG under the terms
and provisions of the Act.
1.3
Custodian
The MDMO, on behalf of Council, is the custodian of this plan. The custodian has the
responsibility for implementing, evaluating, testing, reviewing and updating this plan.
The custodian is also to ensure proper quality, security, integrity, consistency,
privacy, confidentiality and accessibility of the plan.
The Custodian’s contact details are:
Title: Manager, Disaster Management Office
Contact: (07) 3403 8888
GPO Box 1434 Brisbane Qld, 4001
1.4
Purpose
The purpose of evacuation is to ensure people at risk during a disaster event can be
moved to a location of relative safety and provided with emergency human services,
including short-term accommodation if necessary.
1.5
Authority
This plan forms a sub-plan of the Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management
Plan, and is developed under the authority of the Act.
The Brisbane Local Disaster Coordinator (LDC), the CEO Brisbane City Council, is
the Authority for this plan. The Brisbane LDC may also elect to activate this plan in
consultation with, or under direction from, the State or Brisbane District Disaster
Coordinators.
1.6
Activation
The Moreton Island Sub-plan will be considered for activation by the LDC, in
consultation with, or under direction from, the State or Brisbane District Disaster
Coordinators, where the nature of risk to the community will require the movement of
at risk persons to a safer location.
1.7
Moreton Island stakeholders
The Moreton Island stakeholders include but are not limited to the following agencies:





Brisbane City Council – Disaster Management Office (DMO)
Brisbane City Council –Compliance and Regulatory Services (CARS)
Brisbane City Council – Corporate Communications (Crisis Communications)
Brisbane City Council – Brisbane Lifestyle (BL)
Brisbane City Council – Brisbane Transport (BT)
Page 1 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015











Brisbane City Council – Field Services Group (FSG)
Queensland Police Service – Redcliffe District Disaster Management Group
(Redcliffe DDMG)
Queensland Police Service (QPS)
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS)
Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport & Racing (DNPRSR)
(Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service – QPWS)
Red Cross
State Emergency Service (SES)
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES)
Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS)
Tangalooma Island Resort
Brisbane City Council – Office of the Lord Mayor and CEO
Page 2 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
2.0 Scope
This plan provides a strategic overview of the process of coordinating and tasking
agencies to facilitate the evacuation of persons at risk on Moreton Island and its
shoreline waters to the mainland or other safe havens within the island communities
of Moreton Bay.
This plan will focus on five phases of coordination and tasking which are:
1. Preliminary
2. Withdrawal
3. Extraction
4. Reception and relocation
5. Return
Moreton Island is susceptible to various risks. For this reason an all-hazards
approach will be used.
This plan will not cover evacuation centre management. See Evacuation Plan and
SOP for further details.
This plan does not cover recovery planning.
2.1
Assumptions

Brisbane City Council is the lead agency for this plan with support from the
Redcliffe DDMG, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Parks and Wildlife
Service and other agencies as required.

Relocation is defined as the relocation of evacuees to designated areas within the
geographical boundaries of Moreton Island and its shoreline waters due to a
disaster event or predicted disaster event.

Extraction is defined as the extraction of evacuees from Moreton Island and its
shoreline waters to the mainland or other island communities within Moreton Bay.

A disaster event will be as defined in the Queensland Disaster Management Act
2003.

Evacuation may be required without a declaration of a Disaster Situation.

Evacuees may include local residents, campers, day tourists and resort staff and
patrons found within the geographical boundaries of Moreton Islands and its
shoreline waters.

The magnitude of, and methodology for, evacuation will be determined by the
impact (or potential impact) of the event.

Queensland Police Service, supported by QPWS and SES staff, will provide the
resources necessary to ensure the safe passage of evacuees from their location
on the Island to the muster point for extraction.
2.2
Definitions
See evacuation plan for definitions relevant to evacuation.
Page 3 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
3.0 Moreton Island Quick Facts
Moreton Island is located in Moreton Bay approximately 40km from Brisbane.
Moreton Island is 37km long and 10km wide at its widest and is a wedge shaped
island covering over 185 square kilometres.
It is the third largest sand island in the world and has no town services, sealed roads,
electricity, town water or sewerage. Phone coverage is incomplete.
Over 98% of Moreton Island is designated National Park with a unique combination
of flora and fauna. (See Moreton Island Map figure 1, p 6.)
There are 4 townships at Bulwer, Cowan Cowan, Tangalooma and Kooringal with the
majority of people on the island living or staying at the Tangalooma Island Resort.
There is a permanent population of approximately 380 people. There are also
approximately 8 rangers at any one time stationed at the National Parks and Wildlife
base at Ben-Ewa, and one permanent QAS member currently stationed at
Tangalooma Resort.
Township numbers do increase during holiday and weekend periods by
approximately 100 to 250.
There is no service station, doctor, dentist or school on the island.
There are a number of persons at risk during events, including:





3.1
visitors camping on the island with vehicles
visitors camping on the island without vehicles
residents of Moreton Island
staff and patrons of Tangalooma Resort complex
QPWS staff.
Brisbane City SES Unit, Moreton Island Group
Brisbane City Council has an SES Unit located on the Island, the Moreton Island
Group. This group is located on Tangalooma Island Resort land. The majority of this
group consist of volunteers that are also staff members at Tangalooma Island Resort.
As there are limited resources on this island, the Moreton Island Group is trained in
road crash rescue.
3.2
Cruise ships
P&O Cruises has a partnership with Tangalooma Island Resort. Approximately 18
ships would have visit Tangalooma Island Resort in 2015. At least 36 ships are
scheduled to visit Tangalooma Island Resort in 2016. This number is likely to
increase.
Each cruise ship has approximately 1968 passengers and 700 crew members on
board. Passenger demographics vary depending on the date and time of year.
Generally, mid-week cruises have an older demographic and weekend cruises have
a younger demographic.
Cruises arrive at 5.30am in the morning and passengers disembark from 7.30am
onwards.
Page 4 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
4.0 How to Use this Sub-plan During Operations
This sub-plan should be used to guide the conduct of the evacuation and should be
used in conjunction with the Evacuation Sub-plan and SOP. This plan has been
developed as an operational guide with pre-determined strategies able to be adapted
to the specific circumstances of the event.
This plan is broken into 5 phases as indicated in the diagram below. These 5 phases
will determine the planning considerations when evacuation is deemed necessary.
Figure 1: Stages of Evacuation
Page 5 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
Figure 2: Moreton Island
Source: Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing website
Page 6 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
5.0 Risk Management
Risks for Moreton Island include:













5.1
Bushfire
Tsunami
Storm surge
Oil spill
Severe storm
East Coast low
Isolation
Heat wave
Economic loss/loss of tourism
Events during high season for tourism
Communications – lack of phone reception, language barrier for tourists
Risk to other islands e.g. support and resources stretched
Maritime accidents – cruise ship, ferry or barge accidents/incidents
Tangalooma Resort specific plans
Tangalooma Resort has a suite of plans for the resort (not for the whole of Moreton
Island). These plans include:







Emergency plans
Tsunami plan
Asset register
Risk management
Communications plan
Transport plan
Business continuity planning
Further information on these plans and the activation of these plans is through the
Tangalooma Resort Manager. (See Moreton Island SOP for contact details.)
Page 7 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
6.0 Evacuation Process
Evacuation may be either immediate or pre-warned.
It may involve internal evacuation on the island or external evacuation from the island.
It may be voluntary or directed in nature.

Voluntary evacuation will normally involve persons self-evacuating, however,
some transport assistance may be required for people with disabilities, the
homeless, disadvantaged and aged members of the community who do not
have access to appropriate transport.

Directed evacuation occurs when a police officer who is authorised by
relevant legislation (either the Disaster Management Act 2003 or the Public
Safety Preservation Act 1986) makes a decision to execute specific powers
under that legislation and orders people to evacuate a designated area.
The decision to evacuate should take into account the following factors:

A vulnerability analysis which considers whether, for the hazard and
conditions, sheltering in place may be preferable.

The potential for risk to evacuees during movement from the islands.

Available lead time.

The ability to effectively warn affected people.

The time and resources (transport and people) to carry out the
evacuation.

Access and egress to/from the islands.

The availability of assembly areas.

The safety of emergency workers.

The potential numbers of evacuees involved.

The requirement to provide temporary accommodation.
Figure 3: Stages of Evacuation - Preliminary
The preliminary phase outlines the warning, set up and pre-position of response
agencies.
Authority
The Brisbane Local Disaster Coordinator (LDC – CEO Brisbane City Council) is the
Authority for this procedure.
Page 8 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
Agencies involved
Internal
Local Disaster Management Group
(LDMG) - as required
Disaster Management Office (DMO) /
Local Disaster Coordination Centre
(LDCC)
Brisbane Lifestyle (BL)
Brisbane Transport (BT)
Field Services Group (FSG)
External
Redcliffe District Disaster Management
Group (Redcliffe DDMG)
Queensland Police Service (QPS)
Department of Community Safety (DCS)
Department of Communities, Child
Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS)
Department
of
National
Parks,
Recreation, Sport and Racing (DNPRSR)
(Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service –
QPWS)
(Crisis State Emergency Service (SES)
Corporate
Communications
Communications)
Compliance and Regulatory Services Australian Red Cross
(CARS)
Queensland
Fire
and
Emergency
Services (QFES)
Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS)
Tangalooma Island Resort
Activation of the plan
A decision to activate the plan will be in consultation with the LDC, the Manager,
Disaster Management Office and relevant stakeholders.
6.1
Chain of Command / Control of agencies on Moreton Island
Command and Control is event specific and the agency that takes the lead in an
event will differ depending on the type of event. The Brisbane LDMG and the LDCC
will typically play a supporting role in an event on Moreton Island.
The following table from the State Disaster Management Plan (2013-14) outlines the
primary agencies responsible for each specific hazard and the respective state and
national level plans, where appropriate.
Hazard
Primary Agency
Animal and plant
disease
Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry
State and National Plans
Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan
(AUSVETPLAN)
Australian Aquatic Veterinary Emergency
Plan (AQUAVETPLAN)
Australian Emergency Plant Pest
Response Plan (PLANTPLAN)
Biosecurity Emergency Operations
Manual (BEOM)
Biological (human
related)
Queensland Health
State of Queensland Multi-agency
Response to Chemical, Biological,
Radiological Incidents
Page 9 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
Bushfire
Queensland Fire and
Emergency Services
Wildfire Mitigation and Readiness Plans
(Regional)
Chemical
Queensland Fire and
Emergency Services
State of Queensland Multi-agency
Response to Chemical, Biological,
Radiological Incidents
Heat Wave
Queensland Health
Heat Stress Response Plan
Pandemic
Queensland Health
Queensland Pandemic Influenza Plan
National Action Plan for Human
Influenza Pandemic
Ship-Sourced Pollution
Transport and Main Roads
Queensland Coastal Contingency Action
Plan
National Plan for Maritime
Environmental Emergencies
Radiological
Terrorism
Queensland Health
State of Queensland Multi-agency
Response to Chemical, Biological,
Radiological Incidents
Queensland Police Service
Queensland Counter-Terrorism Plan
National Counter-Terrorism Plan
Page 10 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
7.0 Warning
In the initial warning that an event is likely to occur or has occurred, agencies will be
notified by the Disaster Management Office as follows:
Hazard/Event occurs
Disaster Management Office is notified.
DMO:
 gathers intelligence
 issues warning order
 notifies LDC and LDCC/LDMG if activated
LDC decides whether to place staff/agencies on standby and/or
activate












7.1
DMO notifies internal and external response agencies
including:
Brisbane Transport
Brisbane Lifestyle
CARS
FSG
Crisis Communication
Queensland Police Service
Red Cross
DNPRSR
SES
DCCSDS
DCS
QPWS
Set up & Pre-position
Three primary Council locations will be established for setting up and pre-positioning
agencies to support the operation. The following table outlines the lead roles and
their locations.
Role
Local Disaster Coordinator (LDC)
Regional Incident Controller Moreton
Island RIMT (RIMT - MI)
Incident Controller Brisbane LDCC
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Incident Controller
Location
CEO’s conference room Brisbane
Tangalooma Conference Room, Moreton Island
or the RIMT forward command container
Level 1, Brisbane Square
Located at Ben-Ewa QPWS Ranger station but
will co-locate at Tangalooma or in the field as
required
Page 11 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
The Incident Controller for the Moreton Island RIMT will be the Manager, Disaster
Management Office or delegate.
Key tasks for agencies in the warning set up & pre-position phase:
 Initial planning for the evacuation strategy
 Warning order promulgated
 Teams placed on standby or activated and deployed to Moreton Island
 Marshal points, embarkation and disembarkation points are identified based
upon threat
 Communications strategies are developed and evacuees are notified
 Relevant resources are identified and deployed
 RIMT Moreton Island (RIMT- MI) activated and established
 Safety marshals identified and embedded
The operations order and administration instructions can all be found in the Moreton
Island SOP.
Page 12 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
8.0 Withdrawal
Figure 4: Stages of Evacuation – Phase 1: Withdrawal
Phase 1 of the operation is the withdrawal phase. During this phase priority is on the
safe relocation of evacuees under the control of Queensland Police Service (QPS)
from their location on the island to the mustering points, coordinated by Council.
Following this, evacuees will be moved to the departure area, coordinated by
Council, on Moreton Island, with support from QPS for processing by Red Cross,
QPS and Tangalooma Management as required.
In the interest of expedience, processing may be conducted in Phase 2 (during
transit), Phase 3 (on arrival to safe location) or Phase 4 (upon registration into a
Council evacuation centre).
Key tasks for agencies during the withdrawal phase are:
 Resources are on site and in place
 Embarkation points are activated and managed
 Evacuation centres are established
 Media releases are sent out
 Registration process begins
 Evacuees are relocated
Page 13 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
9.0 Extraction
Figure 5: Stages of Evacuation - Phase 2: Extraction
The extraction phase is the transit to a safe location (most likely by sea by
commercial provider) which is coordinated by Council with agency support.
Means of transit are to be staffed by Council, QPS and Red Cross/DCCSDS Officers
as practical. Processing of evacuees may be undertaken in this phase in the interest
of expedience and efficiency.
Key tasks for agencies during the extraction phase are:
 Transport resources are used to move evacuees
 Evacuees are transited to disembarkation point(s) and then on to established
evacuation centres
 Media releases are promulgated
 Remaining residents are monitored
 Campers are rotated to alternate campsites if safe to do so
If the most appropriate option is to move residents and tourists/campers to alternate
locations on the island, the Manager Disaster Management Office will work in
consultation with QPWS and other relevant agencies to make a decision on where
evacuees will be relocated.
In bushfire events evacuees may be required to temporarily shelter in place. In a fire
event at Moreton island the safest location is the beach until the threat passes.
Page 14 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
10.0 Reception & Relocation
Figure 6: Stages of Evacuation - Phase 3: Reception & Relocation
The reception and relocation phase is the disembarkation of evacuees at a safe
haven and relocation to an evacuation centre. Council’s Emergency Human Services
Operational Team (EHSOT) will provide coordination of disembarkation with support
from QPS and other agencies as required. Council’s BT is to provide a transportation
solution with other agencies as required from the disembarkation point to the
evacuation centre/s. Processing of evacuees may occur in this phase in the interest
of expedience of evacuation from the threat.
Relocation of evacuees is in accordance with Brisbane City Council’s Local Disaster
Management Plan, specifically the Evacuation Sub-plan and standard operating
procedure. Council will establish and coordinate a council evacuation centre or
centres with support from relevant agencies.
Key tasks for agencies during the reception and relocation phase are:
 Transport and traffic management strategies are in place
 Bump in process for evacuation centres is established
 Evacuees arrive at evacuation centres
 Evacuation centres are staffed and managed
 Continued media messaging
 Continued registration of evacuees
 Work in consultation with QPWS on the movement of campers to alternate
camp sites (if staying on the island)
Page 15 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
11.0 Return
Figure 7: Stages of Evacuation - Phase 4: Return
The return phase is the end state when all returning evacuees are safely returned to
Moreton Island following the disaster event.
Key tasks for agencies during the return phase are:
 Clean up and safety assessment of the affected area on Moreton Island
 Intelligence gathering to establish if it is safe to return
 Notification to evacuees and general public on return status
 Transportation back to Moreton Island
 Reconditioning and pack up of evacuation centres (bump out process)
 Stand down of response agencies
 Transition to recovery agencies
 Debrief
Page 16 of 17
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 9 – Moreton Island Sub-plan 2015
Appendix 1 – Acronyms and Abbreviations
BL
Brisbane LDMG
BT
CARS
CEO
DCCSDS
DCS
DDMG
DMO
DNPRSR
EHSOT
EMT
FSG
IAT
LDC
LDCC
LM
MDMO
QAS
QFES
QPS
QPWS
RIMT
RMP
SES
SOP
Brisbane Lifestyle
Brisbane Local Disaster Management Group
Brisbane Transport
Compliance and Regulatory Services
Chief Executive Officer
Department of Communities, Child Safety and
Disability Services
Department of Community Safety
District Disaster Management Group
Disaster Management Office
Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport &
Racing
Emergency Human Services Operational Team
Executive Management Team
Field Services Group
Immediate Action Team
Local Disaster Coordinator
Local Disaster Coordination Centre
Lord Mayor
Manager, Disaster Management Office
Queensland Ambulance Service
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service
Queensland Police Service
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Regional Incident Management Team
Risk Management Plan
State Emergency Service
Standard Operating Procedure
Page 17 of 17