Meteorologists say the tropical low is still packing a punch in parts of south-east Queensland and northern NSW ahead of the new working week.

An intense week-long wait for Tropical Cyclone Alfred — now downgraded into a tropical low — has culminated in death, injury and extensive damage.

A rare tropical cyclone weakened to a tropical low weather system on Saturday as it approached Brisbane, the country's third most populous city. Before being downgraded, Cyclone Alfred had been expected to become the first cyclone to cross the east Australian coast since 1974.