Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred lingered off the south-east Australian coast on Saturday and forecasters said Brisbane is likely to miss the worst of the storm, a relief for millions of residents in the region who have been staying indoors.

Initially called Cyclone Alfred, the weather front was downgraded to a tropical low with winds set to reach up to 85km/h, less strong than first forecast. The Bureau of Meteorology said the storm is currently sitting off Bribie Island and is moving slowly north,

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated and some 84,000 households left in the dark as a rare tropical cyclone approaches Australia's eastern coast. Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall on Saturday morning between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast - known for beautiful beaches and top surf – as well as Brisbane,