Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred washes off Australian beaches
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall on March 8, 2025, on the Queensland coast, bringing heavy rain, severe flooding, and strong winds that caused widespread damage. The landfall coincided with one of the highest tides of the year, leading to severe beach erosion along some of the region’s most popular coastal areas.
Beach erosion caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Image credit: letitalikesnature
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall on the Queensland coast on March 8, causing severe flooding and widespread damage, with at least one reported fatality.
The cyclone also generated strong waves, causing significant beach erosion and removing substantial amounts of sand. While many beaches will naturally replenish over time, sand dunes will take longer to recover, and some areas may sustain lasting damage.
As Alfred moved westward toward landfall, its impact coincided with one of the year’s highest tides, resulting in extensive sand loss and weakening coastal infrastructure in some areas.
The hardest-hit areas were south of the cyclone’s path, from the Gold Coast to the Northern Rivers.
Some beaches and dunes have experienced significant erosion, with Peregian Beach, south of Noosa, losing up to 30 m (98 feet) in width.
Along the Gold Coast, erosion cliffs, or “scarps,” reaching up to 3 m (9.8 feet) have formed, exposing sections of the A-line—a buried seawall built after major storms in the 1970s to serve as the last line of coastal defense.
Along the Gold Coast, most foredunes—sand dunes directly behind beaches—have been eroded by storm surges reaching up to 0.5 m (1.6 feet) above the high tide mark. Even well-established dunes further inland have been affected.
As coastal conditions stabilize, some of the displaced sand will gradually return through natural processes. However, this recovery can take months and depends on wave conditions, making it uncertain.
References:
1 Beloved beaches were washed offshore by Cyclone Alfred – but most of this sand will return – The Conversation -March 11, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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