Tropical Cyclone Alfred: How Gold Coasters coped with damage and flooding on Friday

From rubbernecks at Burleigh to random acts of kindness in Surfers Paradise, the Gold Coast has begun bunkering down ahead of TC Alfred. HOW IT LOOKED SUBURB TO SUBURB

From rubbernecks at Burleigh beaches to random acts of kindness in Surfers Paradise, the Gold Coast has begun bracing for the arrival of Cyclone Alfred.

The Southport CBD was a ghost town on Friday morning, with shopping centres largely closed and few traders operating.

Suburban areas of Southport which lost power on Thursday evening as the weather intensified had streets littered with debris from damaged trees.

Debris in Ron Short Park, Southport Picture: Andrew Potts

Large debris could be seen in Ron Short Park, Dandar Drive and Ward Park where water was also flowing at a rapid pace through the Minnie St Reserve.

It was a different story at Labrador where a few people braved the rain to walk their dogs, while the famous Charis Seafood pelicans quietly congregated at the Labrador lagoon.

Debris and trees fallen at Southport, Gold Coast on Friday, March 7, 2025 during the lead up to Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Andrew Potts

In Coomera, plenty of shops were still open with the local Westfield shopping Centre offering free parking.

While many businesses have decided to shut their doors, a few barbershops, a gift store, a coffee shop and Woolworths were still operating inside Westfield Coomera Shopping Centre.

Lux Grooming Barbershop co-owner Sarah Souza said that she’d only had two customers that morning.

“Today is not too good because of the weather situation,” she said.

Ms Souza had travelled from her Surfers Paradise home to open the business that morning.

“I’m bored,” she said.

“I don’t have much to do at home so I came [here].”

Lux Grooming Barbershop was one of the businesses still open at Westfield Coomera Shopping Centre on Friday, March 7, 2025 Picture by Emily Walker

Meanwhile, at Paradise Point, where some of the worst flooding in the city is forecast, cars filled the streets and crowds milled around two cafes which had kept their doors open.

Sovereign Islands couple Penny and John Maddison were among the couples and families sipping coffee and chatting at tables around the Mill Bakery and The Village Cafe at 11am Friday.

“To be honest it just feels like a normal winter’s day - at the moment,” Ms Madison said.

“It feels like the calm before the storm. The water hasn’t come up any higher, so far so good.

“We’re just kind of waiting.”

Penny and John Madison of Paradise Point enjoy some coffee while they wait for Cyclone Alfred on Friday morning. Photo: Kathleen Skene

In Surfers Paradise only one business in sight was open. Bianca Holgate, owner of Espl. Coffee, said they were operating completely under a pay it forward system for the duration of Cyclone Alfred.

“This place is owned by the community not me, so right now we’re just trying to give back in our own way,” she said.

Surfers Paradise Beachfront cafe Espl. Cafe is the only still operating in sight.

Big lines for coffee.

Several homeless people could be seen queuing up for the free coffee, Ms Holgate chatting and even offering a spare bed upon hearing one man’s story of his wet night on the street.

Opening times were displayed as 5.30am- midday Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Ms Holgate’s plan if conditions turn?

“I have a room just next door, if things get bad we’re going to leave everything behind and just run there.”

Upbeat tunes blasted out a speaker with signs of “random act of kindness” and “spread the love” plastered over the venue.

Further south in Mudgeeraba, the flood plains around Somerset Drive were heavily inundated with water.

Flooding on Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba. Picture: Charlton Hart.

Mudgeeraba resident David Hammersel said he was awake at about 4am on Friday when he heard the sound of a large tree falling on a home in his street.

“I had a look but couldn’t see anything. It wasn’t long after that the ambulance and firefighters were here,” he said.

“They’re (homeowners) bloody lucky – you’re talking a couple metres difference and it could have been a different story.”

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics assessed a woman in her 70s at the address. Remarkably she was not injured.

“We had some bloody strong winds through here – I’m not sure how we’re going to go tonight and tomorrow,” Mr Hammersel said.

Damage to a house at Mudgeeraba. Picture: Charlton Hart

“Honest truth – I didn’t think we’d see the damage that’s already here.”

Leafy Burleigh Heads and neighbouring Tallebudgera copped a blast overnight, branches littering the roads.

A family of ducks were making the most of flooded footpaths to Stockland Burleigh Shopping Centre, where retailers were all closed.

Cyclone Alfred, 2025. A bamboo tree down at a property on Scullin Street in Mudgeeraba. Picture: Sandy Frost, Facebook.

Residents lining Lake Burleigh had a nervous night, water levels creeping over their back fences and into yards.

Powerlines on the corner of Tallebudgera Creek Rd and Heather St were sagging under the weight of a massive gum that fell on Friday morning.

The scene was under police guard with the lines expected to buckle any minute and Energex was on the way as of 9.30am.

A house has been crushed by a tree at Currumbin Valley. Picture: Qld Ambulance Service, Facebook.

At Currumbin Valley, two residents had a miracle escape when a large tree came crashing down on their house around 8am on Friday.

Multiple ambulance crews rushed to the scene on Piggabeen Rd.

“It was a lucky escape for two occupants this morning,” a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said.

“Thankfully, both patients sustained only minor injuries and were transported in stable conditions to the Gold Coast University Hospital.”

Earlier, an elderly Mudgeeraba woman escaped injury when a tree fell on her house in Currong Cres at Mudgeeraba about 4.30am on Friday.

A house has been crushed by a tree at Currumbin Valley. Picture: Qld Ambulance Service, Facebook.

Despite the close calls, authorities say your own home is still the safest place to be as Cyclone Alfred makes landfall.

Gold Coast acting mayor Donna Gates said residents should seek shelter in the smallest, ideally windowless, room in the house.

The QAS spokesman added: “As Tropical Cyclone Alfred moves closer to the coast, ensure you have secured loose items, avoid driving in windy and rainy conditions and stay indoors where possible.”

Burleigh Headland wasn’t quite the circus of the previous day, with sloppy swell and a super-sized spa of foam less appealing for wave watchers.

A reduced collection of rubbernecks mostly kept to their cars, the Goodwin Terrace carpark offering ringside seats for the wild surf.

The dangers posed by the cyclone were more starkly illustrated at Palm Beach, where residents labelled aluminium sheets thatfell from a crane and construction site as deadly missiles.

People woke to the sharp pieces of large metal on their balconies, with some saying it was lucky no one was hurt, while anothersaid it was a timely reminder to stay indoors.