Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa crossed the Pilbara coast near Pardoo on 13 April 2023 as a Category 5 system, bringing destructive winds, heavy rainfall and widespread impacts across parts of the Pilbara and Kimberley regions. Homes, businesses, pastoral stations, community infrastructure and essential services were significantly affected, particularly in remote and regional communities.
In the aftermath of the cyclone, recovery efforts were coordinated by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) in partnership with local governments, State Government and Australian Government agencies, industry and community organisations. A range of assistance measures were made available to support impacted residents, businesses, primary producers and local governments, including financial assistance, clean-up and restoration activities, wellbeing services, and resilience building initiatives.
Recovery was guided by a community-led approach that recognised the unique needs of affected communities. Through the combined efforts of residents, businesses, industry, government and community organisations, essential services were restored, damaged assets were rebuilt and communities were supported to recover and strengthen their resilience to future disasters.
