A global tourism hub that makes $500 million a week may take a major financial hit after an ex-cyclone caused widespread coastal erosion, an expert says.
Work is under way to repair the Gold Coast's beaches before the lucrative Easter holidays amid fears ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred's impact may keep holidaymakers away.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has revealed 80 per cent of the glitter strip's beaches have "gone into the ocean" after the former cyclone created monster waves up to 12 metres, decimating the coastline.
Dredging is set to begin with the local council setting an Easter deadline to return the iconic beaches to their former glory in time for the holiday rush.
The Easter holidays are usually a booming time for Queensland tourism, contributing $2.5 billion to the state economy last year alone.
The Gold Coast is one of the most popular destinations, making $500 million a week during the year, according to former Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind.
The Queensland government has declared the state is "open for business" as the southeast mops up after ex-cyclone Alfred's week of wild weather also brought widespread flooding.
But Mr Gschwind expected beach erosion to cost the Gold Coast significant tourism dollars.
"Tourism is a perishable good if the income isn't generated on a day or the weekend, it's not recoverable - it's gone," the Griffith University professor said.
The Gold Coast is set to use rainbow-style dredging where a barge pumps sand that has been pulled offshore back towards the beach in an arc through the air.
But Mr Gschwind doubted whether beach erosion would be rectified by the Easter holidays.
"I think that (erosion) will have an impact on visitor numbers," he said.
"I think people will be ready for a holiday and ready for a break for Easter, but it's certainly not an ideal circumstance with the beaches that play such an important role in the promotion of Queensland and the attraction of the Gold Coast."
Despite the widespread erosion, Cr Tate said the city endured worse in 2013 when ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald hit the glitter strip.
"This time next week, I'd like to show that Surfers Paradise is really open for business and that way people can start booking flights," he said.
There are also concerns for another global tourist attraction in ex-cyclone Alfred's aftermath.
At One Tree Island off the coast of Gladstone waves of seven metres were recorded during Alfred's approach, more than double the highest on record during ex-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.
A significant amount of coral had been displaced as a result, University of Sydney's Lachlan Perris said.
"Coral has been destroyed and ripped from the reef and deposited onto the reef flat and island," the PhD candidate told AAP.
Cyclones have impacted the Great Barrier Reef for centuries but after a devastating marine heatwave in 2024 that caused mass bleaching and coral death, it is no longer as resilient to natural disasters.
Tourists may not see the bright, colourful reef as advertised as a result, Mr Perris said.
“It's not necessarily due to cyclones alone, but due to the compounding effects of other stresses," he said.
"The marine heatwaves and bleaching will play a pretty big role in simplifying the reef, reducing the biodiversity and then you'll end up seeing the reef is a lot more simple than what's been advertised.”
The clean-up continues in southeast Queensland and northern NSW with about 30,000 people still without power as skies clear and floodwaters recede.
About 15,000 insurance claims have been lodged to date.
