Millions of Australians across Queensland and northern New South Wales are bracing for tropical Cyclone Alfred to make landfall in the next 48 hours.More than four million people, from Sandy Cape to Grafton,

Northern New South Wales will likely bear the brunt of the torrential rain and wild winds accompanying Tropical Cyclone Alfred, despite the system being expected to make landfall near Brisbane.

Brisbane's ferries have been moved to safety and their Moreton Bay islands counterparts will soon follow suit as Cyclone Alfred prepares to make an expected sharp curve towards south-east Queensland.

Alfred's intensity may fluctuate in the coming days, but it is expected to make landfall at category 2 strength late Thursday or early Friday morning. It will be the first time the south-east has been in the direct firing line of a tropical cyclone in several decades.

Significant damage and power outages are possible in the densely populated region of Queensland, where tropical cyclones impacts are not uncommon, but direct landfalls are.

Category two storm dubbed Cyclone Alfred has made its way towards the coast of Queensland. The cyclone has increased in speed, approaching the coastline at a rate of just over 10 kilometres per hour overnight.

New Zealanders in Queensland are battening down the hatches or changing their flights home to make a hasty getaway from the cyclone.

Millions of residents along Australia’s east coast are on high alert for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.