Australia's east coast has been pounded by rain, wind and surf for a week, with Brisbane recording its highest daily rainfall in half a century.

Staff at Winey Cow, a cafe just 50 metres from the Surfers Paradise foreshore, closed during the worst of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred and dealt with ankle deep floodwater and persistent dripping from the ceiling during the closure.

But while authorities have been warning residents to stay indoors as Cyclone Alfred approaches, die-hard surfers have been throwing caution to the increasing wind. "This is what we look forward to," said Jeff Weatherall as he waited for a jet ski to pick him up from Kirra beach and carry him into the big waves.