Tens of thousands of Australians stockpiled food and waited in sturdy shelters today as a monster cyclone approached the north east coast with furious winds, rain and surging seas on a scale unseen in generations.

AUSTRALIA’S Queensland state is facing one of the worst cyclones in its history, officials warned yesterday, bringing wild winds and potentially devastating rainfall to areas still awash with floods.

A strong tropical cyclone was roaring towards flood-ravaged areas of Australia today, sparking evacuations and warnings from officials that the storm could be the worst the region has ever seen.