Billionaires, celebrities and a former prime minister are among those bracing for impact within Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s anticipated touchdown zone, which stretches from Noosa to Byron Bay and encompasses some of Australia’s most expensive real estate.

Some of the nation’s most desirable properties are on the front line of this extreme weather event, which is tipped to make landfall on Friday or early on Saturday, bringing storm surge and erosion, flooding rain and strong winds on the coasts of south-east Queensland and northern NSW.