The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s movements are an “evolving situation”, as some south-east Queensland supermarkets shut their doors and public transport halts in anticipation of its landfall.
Warnings remain in place from Double Island Point to south of the Queensland and NSW border, with the centre of the category two system expected to cross the coast early Saturday morning, most likely between Noosa and Coolangatta.
Senior meteorologist Matthew Collopy said while the cyclone’s movement slowed overnight, that could mean further destruction.
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BOM’s latest modelling shows winds near the centre of the cyclone will be about 95 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 150kph.
“If the system crosses at high tide, there is the risk of seeing storm surges up to 1.5 metres, particularly around the Redland Bay area and the Gold Coast,”
Mr Collopy said.
A 12.3-metre wave was recorded off Main Beach on the Gold Coast overnight — the highest ever recorded.
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Premier David Crisafulli said the system was already starting to “pack a punch” as it edged towards the south-east coast.
Queensland supermarkets in the impact zones closed today, while others have reduced their opening hours.
“We thank workers who are going in today to pack shelves, man check-outs, ensure that Queenslanders can get their last minute goods,”
Mr Crisafulli said.
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Public transport services will remain suspended until at least Friday, alongside elective surgeries, with further updates to come.
Mr Crisafulli said roads and bridges would be kept open “for as long as we can” for key workers.
Spectators gather to watch massive swell
Hundreds of locals have used the cyclone’s unexpected delay to catch a glimpse of huge swells on the Gold Coast.
People gathered to see the ocean swell on the Gold Coast. (AAP: Jason O’Brien)
Police closed access to Southport Spit due to flooding, and enormous stretches of coastline have already eroded.
Krystal Laria has lived on the Gold Coast her whole life and said she’s never seen anything like it.
Krystal Laria went to the beach with her family to see the huge waves. (ABC News: Syan Vallace)
“There’s usually 80 metres of beach here … we can’t believe how much of the beach has washed away, and there’s more to come in the next couple of days,”
she said.
Nikki Newton visited the beach with her daughter and three grandchildren.
“It’s quite sad to see all the sand washing away as it is, really not even, you know, in the eye of the storm,” she said.
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Refuge centres set up in multiple locations
Flood mapping by the Sunshine Coast Council shows thousands of properties could be impacted if there are storm surges on top of already high tides.
Refuge centres have been set up at Landsborough, Caloundra and Nambour for residents seeking shelter while they wait for the worst of the weather to unfold.
Before the wind and the rain picks up, Pastor Dale Dowler, who runs The Shack — a homeless shelter in Nambour — has been offering those sleeping rough a ride to the local refuge centre.
Dale Dowler has offering those sleeping rough a ride to the local refuge centre. (ABC News: Lucy Loram)
“We’re just sort of mitigating a lot of what may come to our friends on the street,”
he said.
“Our hope is that we can get as many people as we can out of the weather and making sure they’re safe — that’s what it’s come down to.”
A temporary refuge shelter at the RNA showgrounds in Brisbane’s Bowen Hills opened on Wednesday, where impacted locals can charge phones and grab a tea or coffee, but has no beds.
Two more Brisbane Shelters in Chandler and Chermside are slated to open on Friday.
On the Gold Coast, evacuation centres have opened in Runaway Bay’s indoor sports centre, the Burleigh Waters Community Centre and Pimpama Sports Hub.
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