A reminder for our College community that a new national public information and emergency warnings system will be tested by the Australian Government soon.  
 
‘AusAlert’ is designed to send important safety messages directly to mobile devices (such as phones, tablets, and smart watches) during emergencies. It will be used by emergency services to warn the community about serious situations such as severe weather or other threats to safety. 

As part of this rollout, there will be a national test held on Monday 27 July 2026 at 2pm. 

This means we will all receive a critical alert message on our mobile devices – it will activate even if your phone is switched to silent or on ‘do not disturb’ mode.  

The alert will sound for 10.5 seconds (unique siren), in addition to a vibration and potentially a flashing light. It is not possible to opt out of receiving critical alerts.  

So, what do we need to do? 

You do not need to take any action when you receive the alert. It is just a test.

However, since the AusAlert test will happen during school hours, it may interrupt lessons or make some students feel worried or upset. Teachers are being asked to give students some notice about the test leading up to July 27 and reassure them that they don’t need to do anything.

To reduce disruption on the day, students are reminded to turn off their mobile devices when they arrive to school and to keep them in their locker during testing time. 

If you’d like to find out more information, please visit Children & teens | ausalert  

Following the national test, it is expected that AusAlerts will officially come into effect by October 2026.  

Alerts will include the following information:  

• Type of emergency
• Where it is
• How serious it is
• What response is needed
• Where more information can be found 

The clear message for all Australians is that if you receive an AusAlert, you must give it your attention and follow its direction.