This time last week, like so many Australians, I watched transfixed as Tropical Cyclone Alfred edged closer to the coast of southern Queensland, threatening to devastate communities with 100km/h wind and flooding rains. By the time the storm made landfall about 9pm on Saturday, it had lost some of its force while stalled off the coast and was downgraded to a tropical low. Mercifully, population centres in northern NSW and south-east Queensland still reeling from the 2002 floods were spared the worst. Many were still affected, however, as the storm carved a trail of destruction. Tens of thousands of properties lost power for days, trees fell onto roads and homes, low-lying areas were flooded, traffic lights malfunctioned on major roads, and schools and businesses were closed. From Noosa to as far south as Coffs Harbour, some of our most famous beaches were washed away by huge swells. On the Gold Coast, wild seas gouged two- to three-metre cliffs into the sand. Although things could have been so much worse, this was still an important story for The Age to cover.