Australia is bracing for what could be Queensland’s worst tropical cyclone in living memory, as Storm Narelle bears down on the far north coast.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle has been upgraded to a category 4 system as it comes within 500km of the Australian coast, with Far North Queensland residents being told to prepare for the worst.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle churned westward towards Australia on Thursday, March 19, strengthening to a category five storm, but was was expected to weaken before making landfall on March 20.