New Zealand holidaymakers are now hunkering down as Australia braces for impact.
What was meant to be a relaxing Gold Coast holiday has turned into a nerve-wracking exercise for Christchurch couple Jo Nixon-Sparkes and Paul Sparkes, who now find themselves caught in the path of Cyclone Alfred.
With the storm slowing off the Queensland coast, the couple and four million others are facing a longer, more dangerous wait as Alfred intensifies offshore.
Jo and Paul had planned their trip for months — a getaway to visit their son and see their favourite band, Green Day. Instead, they landed just in time for a national emergency.
The storm is “sucking up juice” as it gradually approaches Queensland. (Source: 1News)
"We thought we were in for a sunny escape after Christchurch’s miserable summer," Jo told 1News. "Now we’re just hoping we don’t lose power for days."
They’re among thousands of stranded travellers after flights were cancelled, public transport was shut down, and emergency warnings were ramped up.
"The supermarket was chaos," Paul said. "The shelves were stripped. People were panicking, grabbing whatever they could. We were lucky…. just as we were about to leave, they rolled out a small pallet of water, and we managed to grab some before it was gone in seconds."
The category two system is forecast to lash coastal islands on Friday before downgrading to a category one when it makes landfall between Noosa and Coolangatta early Saturday.
Its effects will be felt from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in NSW.
Authorities warn that prolonged exposure to the cyclone could worsen the flooding, with rainfall dumping directly into Brisbane’s river system, raising concerns of a flood event similar to 2011 and 2022.
Severe storm surges of up to 1.5 metres are forecast for coastal areas.
Waves of 12.3 metres have already been recorded off the Gold Coast — the highest registered in the region.
Lismore and Northern Rivers (NSW) are now on alert for major flooding, with some rivers forecast to overtop levees.
More than 1000 schools and major shopping centres have shut, and sandbags are running out.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli described it as a "real threat" as emergency services prepare for the worst.
'It's unsettling'
For Jo and Paul, the panic buying, the uncertainty, and the eerie quiet of the streets all feel “painfully familiar.”
"It took me straight back to the Christchurch earthquakes," Jo said. "Seeing the empty shelves, people scrambling, not knowing what’s coming… it’s unsettling. It’s not a relaxing holiday at all."
Her husband agreed, adding, "We’ve been through the earthquakes, the mosque attacks, the Port Hills fires, Covid… now we can add a cyclone to the list."
He says, "You get better at dealing with disaster, but it doesn’t make it any easier."
Their son, who works on the Gold Coast, was also hunkering down — securing furniture, stocking up, and preparing for possible evacuations.
"I don’t think his Kiwi flatmates really know what to do," Jo said. "So, we’ve been giving them advice to bring the furniture in, fill the bathtub, and have supplies ready. Hopefully, they’ll be alright."
For now, like everyone else in Cyclone Alfred’s firing line, they can only wait, prepare, and hope for the best.
- Additional reporting by AAP
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