After sandbagging their home, Roxanne Zolin and her partner are putting the finishing touches on their cyclone preparations - then they will leave.
The couple are among millions of people busy getting ready as southeast Queensland braces for the imminent arrival of category two Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Ms Zolin and her partner Pierre D'Aubbonnett had planned to bunker down at their Bribie Island home north of Brisbane, with gale force winds and heavy rain expected from Wednesday.
Instead they will go to the mainland and ride out the storm at the rural town of Toogoolawah.
Alfred marks the couple's first extreme weather event on the island and they are worried.
"We're so close to the water you can see it," Ms Zolin told AAP.
Sandbags fortify their home and tape is strewn over their windows, including their beautiful stained glass front doors, but there is still much to prepare.
"I've been trying to get rid of all the pot plants off my front porch because I can imagine the wind picking them up," Ms Zolin said.
Mr D'Aubbonnett is so concerned about downstairs flooding he has been taking photos of beloved items before they head off, keeping his fingers crossed they remain intact.
Millions of people have been told to leave or prepare for the worst after the system made a dramatic turn on Tuesday and is stalking towards southeast Queensland.
A warning zone between Double Island Point in Queensland to Yamba in NSW is in place as Alfred is set to make landfall on Thursday or early Friday.
Flash flooding, heavy rainfall, destructive winds and storm surges are set to follow, as southeast Queensland faces its first cyclone direct hit in 50 years.
The worst of Alfred's land impact is expected to hit Brisbane, the Gold Coast and NSW's Northern Rivers which has only recovered from deadly floods three years ago.
The prime minister has touched down in Brisbane, as the federal disaster response plan activates and a crisis coordination team deploys.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the cyclone had firmed and was urging people to follow the advice of emergency personnel.
"This is a very rare event for southeast Queensland, but it's not unprecedented, and we are asking you to take it seriously," he said.
Rainfall totals of 100mm are set to lash Queensland's southeast on Wednesday and up to 400mm by the time Alfred reaches land.
Schools remain open in Queensland on Wednesday but beaches, university campuses and Gold Coast theme parks will close along with ferry services.
Flights are likely to be affected.
Emergency services, telco providers and Energex crews have bolstered the region with evacuation centres on the Gold Coast open.
