Coast locals were told to stay off the beaches. But many couldn’t resist

Follow our live coverage for Cyclone Alfred here.

Queensland’s second-most populous city, the Gold Coast, woke up on Saturday morning to find large chunks of its famous beaches washed into the ocean.

Wind gusts from the southern edge of Alfred, which hit Brisbane’s Moreton Island as a category one cyclone in the hours before dawn, tore a roof off an apartment building at Labrador and hurled power lines and trees to the ground.

Wild seas and beach erosion at Miami Beach on the Gold Coast.Credit: Dan Peled

But many locals here – and on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane’s north – were reluctant to heed the authorities’ repeated warnings to stay onshore.

One kitesurfer, Scott, made the most of hectic conditions, heading down to the beach at Currumbin after his internet and power went out at home a few streets away.

“It’s a bit wild. A bit too gusty,” he told this masthead as a mate took off metres into the air over a wave nearby.

A kite surfer makes the most out of wild conditions at Currumbin.Credit: Dan Peled

“It’s about picking the right tools. This is a smaller kite. Between us, we’ve got about 60 years experience.”

More than a dozen people including children were braving the sand sprays and heavy winds at the beach until a storm hit at about 2pm Queensland time.

At Kirra, dozens of people were videoed sliding down a muddy hill on bodyboards the day before the cyclone hit Moreton Bay’s islands.

Gold Coast acting mayor Donna Gates reiterated in an afternoon press conference that all beaches were closed.

Locals at Main Beach drawn by the appeal of playing in sea foam were told to keep off the footpath, which was severely undermined by erosion.

Locals enjoy flying sea foam generated by strong winds at Main Beach.Credit: Dan Peled

In Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, where the ex-cyclone had stalled about 50km offshore, people were out cycling, walking dogs and even riding jetskis – despite water police urging them to stay out of waterways.

Darwin local Mitchell was supposed to be in New Zealand, but his flight was cancelled as Brisbane Airport closed earlier in the week, forcing him to stay with family in the Sunshine Coast suburb Buderim.

Mitchell, a local from Darwin stranded on the Sunshine Coast, riding his family’s jetski on Maroochy River.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

On Saturday evening, he brought his family’s jetski down to the mouth of Maroochy River, saying he had seen many cyclones over his lifetime and wasn’t worried about ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.

“Everyone is panicking, but it’s pretty normal for me,” he said.

“Goldie’s getting pumped. It’s been nothing but blue skies around here [and] a bit of cool weather.”

He expected to fly out of Brisbane on Monday at the latest.

Locals at Alexandra Headland, on the Sunshine Coast, watching clouds from ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli told media on Saturday afternoon that erosion had formed sand cliffs of up to three metres along popular beaches, and asked the public to stay away.

“We don’t want those dunes collapsing and causing any injury, so please, please stay off the dunes and stay safe. Now is not the time to head to the beach for a look, and especially with young children,” she said.

Fortunately, local police reported no calls for help from watercraft or swimmers overnight.

But authorities said the worst was potentially yet to come, as the wind was predicted to change direction this evening, and the potential of flash flooding was “still very real”.

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