Cyclone Alfred in pictures: NSW towns battered as natural disaster stalks coast

Residents across the northern NSW coast are weathering the storm as Cyclone Alfred intensifies off the east coast. It’s been a rough night. See the images in our gallery below.

Residents across northern New South Wales have weathered a rough night as Tropical Cyclone Alfred intensifies off the east coast of Australia. Overnight winds of up to 120km/h have battered the coast, and heavy rains have caused flooding. Trees are down, and thousands are without power.

See how the situation is unfolding below:

After a will night, Byron locals have woken to flooded roads and down power lines at Ewingsdale Road. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Power lines are down on Cavanbah Street in Byron Bay on Friday morning. Picture: Rohan Kelly

In Ballina, locals overnight had to come to terms with this slippery customer:

Yasmine Newlands, 7, braves the storm on Friday morning at Main Beach at Byron Bay. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Childe Street at Byron’s Belongil Beach went under overnight. Picture: Rohan Kelly

At the Wake Up Byron Bay hostel at Belongil residents woke up to a flooded volleyball court. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Childers Street at Belongil under water on Friday morning. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Massive waves smash Coolangatta on the NSW-Qld border. Picture: AFP

Members of the public run for shelter during a torrential downpour on the Gold Coast ahead of the expected arrival of Cyclone Alfred. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

A police boat looks for a jet ski rider who went missing amid record-breaking waves in Coolangatta (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

Surfers pictured at Main Beach in Byron Bay as people gather on the beach to watch on. Picture: Rohan Kelly

A row of sandbags cover the front of a shop in the town of Lismore. Picture: David Gray/AFP)

NSW Premier Chris Minns in Lismore on Wednesday ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred making landfall. Picture: Chris Minns/Facebook.

Residents are preparing, filling sandbags so they can protect their homes in Byron Bay. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Residents are preparing, filling sandbags so they can protect their homes in Byron Bay. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Residents are preparing, filling sandbags so they can protect their homes in Byron Bay. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Lismore residents Susan Daysa and John de Manincor bagging sand in South Lismore. Picture: Cath Piltz

Lismore residents bagging sand in South Lismore as northern NSW prepares for Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Cath Piltz

Big swells at Coffs Harbour's North Wall ahead of Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Toni Moon

Residents watch massive waves stirred by tropical cyclone Alfred at Byron Bay's Main Beach Picture: David Gray/AFP

Residents take a morning walk as massive waves, stirred by tropical cyclone Alfred, crash against the North Wall in Ballina Picture: David Gray/AFP

A resident watches massive waves stirred by tropical cyclone Alfred at Byron Bay's Main Beach on March 5, 2025. A rare tropical cyclone veered towards Australia's densely populated eastern coast on March 5, forcing scores of schools to close as worried residents stripped supermarket shelves bare. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

Cyclone Alfred at Snapper Rocks on the border of Queensland and NSW. Picture: Nigel Hallett

A totalled car at Ocean Shores in Northern NSW. Picture: Elisha Sophia

The scene on Pacific Parade, Lennox Head, as residents prepare for the cyclone to make landfall. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

7 Mile Beach at Lennox Head is churned up. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Businesses prepare: sandbagging along Pacific Parade, Lennox Head. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Lismore on Thursday: Val Riley and Tony Edwards of East Lismore fill sandbags at the Nesbit Park filling stations to protect their home from excess rainwater run-off. Picture: David Freund

Scott and Kate Dunn of Ballina fill sandbags at the Lismore Workers Golf Club after Ballina sandbag filling sites ran out of supplies, leading to large queues waiting for the delivery of new materials. Picture: David Freund

Party in the back of an SUV at Main Beach, Byron Bay. Getting one last surf in before Cyclone Alfred hits on Saturday. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Byron Bay residents filling sandbags at Butler street Reserve. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Byron Bay resident Gibby carries a sandbag to take home. Picture: Rohan Kelly

People gather on the foreshore at Main Beach to watch the surf and surfers, Byron Bay. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The scene at the Brunswick River mouth – the SES has warned people of deteriorating conditions. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Originally published as Cyclone Alfred in pictures: NSW towns battered as natural disaster stalks coast