A heavily populated stretch of Australia's eastern coast battened down on Tuesday for what could be the first tropical cyclone to pummel the region in 50 years.

Damaging winds, heavy rainfall and life-threatening floods are expected after the storm made a sudden shift toward Queensland.

Significant damage and power outages are possible in the densely populated region of Queensland, where tropical cyclones impacts are not uncommon, but direct landfalls are.

Since October, when he launched off the shores of California, Aurimas Mockus has been rowing for up to 12 hours a day in his ...