Written by Meghan O’Connor
Thousands of residents across parts of north Queensland were left without reliable phone and internet services after suspected copper thieves damaged telecommunications infrastructure inside an active cyclone warning zone, prompting strong condemnation from state leaders and emergency officials.
The incident occurred as communities in and around Townsville were preparing for severe weather linked to Tropical Cyclone Koji, a developing system forecast to bring damaging winds and heavy rainfall to the region.
What happened?
Telecommunications providers believe fibre cables at a mobile communications site were deliberately cut while thieves attempted to steal copper, causing widespread service disruptions across several Townsville suburbs, including Mt Low, Bluewater, Black River, Toolakea and Saunders Beach.
The damaged site supports multiple networks, meaning the sabotage resulted in mobile and internet outages across services operated by Telstra and Optus, along with broader broadband connections.
Telstra confirmed technicians were forced to manually remove more than seven kilometres of damaged fibre across two locations, working in difficult conditions as cyclone impacts began to be felt across the region.
Why timing made the outage dangerous
The disruption could not have come at a worse time. Authorities had already urged residents to secure property, finalise emergency plans and monitor official warnings as Tropical Cyclone Koji tracked towards the north Queensland coastline.
Emergency services rely heavily on mobile networks to deliver real-time alerts, evacuation advice and weather updates. While calls to Triple Zero (000) can divert to any available network, the outage reduced access to critical information for thousands of people.
The Bureau of Meteorology continues issuing cyclone updates, warning that conditions can deteriorate quickly as the system approaches landfall.
Residents describe frustration and fear
Local residents reported losing internet access late Friday evening, just as many households were making final preparations. Some said the loss of communications made it harder to access emergency updates, while others raised concerns for people with medical conditions who depend on online connectivity.
Families in coastal communities said social media, weather apps and live news updates were crucial during cyclone events, making the outage especially distressing.
Premier condemns “low act”
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli described the suspected theft as a “low act”, saying it had placed lives at risk during a natural disaster.
He said telecommunications were essential during emergencies and warned those responsible would face serious consequences once identified. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
How many people were affected?
Townsville City Council estimates up to 5,000 residents may have been impacted at the height of the outage. While some services have since been restored, technicians continue working to bring remaining connections back online as quickly as weather conditions allow.
What residents are being advised to do
Emergency authorities are urging people in cyclone-prone areas to:
- Keep battery-powered radios available for official updates
- Ensure emergency kits are fully stocked
- Save important phone numbers offline
- Follow local council and emergency service instructions
For more breaking updates and explainers, visit the Swikblog homepage.
As north Queensland braces for the impact of Cyclone Koji, the incident has reignited calls for stronger protection of critical infrastructure, particularly during extreme weather events when reliable communication can mean the difference between safety and disaster.
