Understanding community risk perception and evacuation behaviours | Natural Hazards Research Australia

Understanding community risk perception and evacuation behaviours

Photo: Phillip Flores, Unsplash
Research theme
Project type

Responsive disaster research

Project status

In progress

This research aims to understand why some residents comply with evacuation requests while others choose to stay, even when they face similar levels of risk and have access to the same information. It seeks to identify the psychological, social and perceptual factors that influence evacuation decision making. It seeks to generate evidence-based recommendations to enhance the design, timing and delivery of future evacuation communications.

Research team
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A/Prof Kerry McBain
Research leader
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Dr Jane Sexton
End-user
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Matthew Dyer
End-user
Project details

Australia is facing more frequent and severe extreme weather events, placing growing pressure on emergency management systems. Queensland is particularly vulnerable, with flooding identified as the state’s highest natural hazard. Recent assessments show that 60 per cent of councils are at high flood risk, and over a third are exposed to isolation due to flood-prone road networks. These risks underscore the critical need for effective evacuation planning and public communication, as delays or refusals to evacuate can increase danger for residents and add strain to emergency services.

The February 2025 Townsville floods provide a chance to look at how people decide to evacuate. This includes the influence of past flood experiences, the use of zone-based warnings, and the sharing of information through official and social media channels.

The intended outcomes are to generate insights that improve the clarity and effectiveness of public warnings, provide evidence to support emergency services in targeting communication and planning, and contribute to national disaster risk reduction efforts.

Participating organisations
Queensland Fire Department