Rare cyclone approaches Australian coast; schools closed, public transport halted

Rare tropical cyclone Alfred lashes eastern Australia, schools closed, public transport halted, residents buy potting mix for sandbags.

Early wind and rain from a rare tropical cyclone began lashing part of eastern Australia on Thursday (March 6, 2025) as schools were closed, public transport was stopped and desperate residents got around shortages of sandbags by buying potting mix.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to cross the Queensland state coast somewhere between the Sunshine Coast region and the city of Gold Coast to the south early Saturday, Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy said.

Between the two tourist strips is the state capital Brisbane, Australia’s third-most populous city which will host the 2032 Olympic Games.

“The wind impacts, we’re already seeing those start to develop on the exposed locations along our coast with gusts reaching 80-to-90 kph (50-to-56 mph). We are expecting those to continue to develop,” Mr. Collopy told reporters in Brisbane.

Alfred is expected to become the first cyclone to cross the coast near Brisbane since Cyclone Zoe hit Gold Coast in 1974 and brought widespread flooding.

Cyclones are common in Queensland’s tropical north but are rare in the state’s temperate and densely populated southeast corner that borders New South Wales state.

More than 4 million people lie in the cyclone’s path.