As south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales prepare for Tropical Cyclone Alfred to cross the coast, an Australian researcher explains what makes this system so unusual.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred has turned west and is heading towards Australia’s east coast as residents in NSW’s Northern Rivers region prepare for the “great unknown” of another natural disaster. Alfred is expected to make landfall as a category 2 storm near Brisbane late on Thursday or early Friday,

Australia's east coast braced on Wednesday for a tropical cyclone that is swirling towards Brisbane, the country's third-most populous city, as authorities warned thousands of properties were at risk due to strong winds and flash flooding.