Storm season on the Sunshine Coast: the outdoor checklist to finish before November

By Isaac Cunningham · 5 Sep 2026 · 6 min read

South-east Queensland's storm season runs from roughly November to April. The damage usually isn't from the wind itself — it's from the gutter that was already full, the branch that was already dead, and the drain that was already blocked. September and October are the window to fix those.

1 · Gutters and downpipes

A blocked gutter in a Coast storm doesn't just overflow at the edge — it backs up under the roof sheeting and into the eaves and ceiling. It is the single most common cause of avoidable storm damage we see, and the cheapest to prevent.

• Clear the gutters completely, including the corners and behind the downpipe outlets where the sludge settles.
• Check the downpipes actually run: pour a bucket in at the top and see it come out the bottom.
• Look at the falls. Standing water in a "clean" gutter means it's sagged or a bracket has gone.
• If the house is single-storey and you're steady on a ladder, this is a DIY job. If it's two-storey, over a pool or on a slope, it isn't.

2 · Trees, palms and overhanging branches

• Dead wood out. Dead branches are what come down first, and they don't need much wind.
• Clear the roofline. Anything overhanging the roof or gutters should be cut back — it drops the debris that blocks the gutters you just cleared, and it's what punches through tiles when it fails.
• Look for lean, cracks and fungus at the base. A tree that's shifted since last year needs a proper look, not a prune.
• Palm fronds and seed pods — remove the dead ones. A loaded frond is a heavy, sharp object in a 90 km/h gust.
• Never work near powerlines. Branches within reach of the service line to your house or the street lines are not a DIY job and not a general contractor's job either — that's a call to your electricity distributor or an authorised vegetation contractor.
• Check council rules before removal. The Sunshine Coast has vegetation protection provisions in some areas; pruning is generally fine, removal may need approval.

3 · Drainage and the yard

• Clear yard drains, grated pits and the stormwater outlet at the kerb. Leaf litter and mulch wash straight into them in the first downpour.
• Check where the water goes when the downpipes run hard: if it's toward the house, the slab or a neighbour, fix the fall or add a drain now.
• Pull mulch back from paths and drains so it doesn't migrate.
• Mow and clear before the season so a fallen branch isn't sitting on knee-high grass you can't see it in.

4 · Loose items and structures

• Trampolines, outdoor furniture, umbrellas, pots, kids' gear — anchored, stored, or accept they'll travel.
• Shade sails down for the season, or at least checked and tensioned. A loose sail takes its posts with it.
• Fences: loose palings, leaning posts, rusted Colorbond brackets. A fence that's already moving is a fence that will go.
• Sheds and gates latched and secure.

5 · Photos and paperwork

Insurers routinely reduce or decline storm claims where the damage was caused or made worse by lack of maintenance — blocked gutters and dead trees being the classic examples. Protect yourself:

• Photograph the gutters, roofline, trees and fences after the pre-season work is done, with the date visible.
• Keep invoices for gutter cleaning and tree work. They are evidence the property was maintained.
• Know where your policy documents and the claims number are before you need them at 11pm.

After a storm

• Don't go near downed powerlines or anything touching them — report them and keep clear.
• Check the roof from the ground first. Don't go up if it's wet or there's damage you can't see the extent of.
• Photograph everything before you move it.
• Green waste: a proper clean-up with the branches cut and removed, rather than a pile on the verge that sits for a month.

Common questions