Wild conditions caused by ex-tropical cyclone Seth are set to intensify, prompting more beaches to close in Queensland's southeast.
However, the Bureau of Meteorology insists the former cyclone - now a tropical low - has "done its dash" and is expected to peter out off Queensland in the coming days.
A hazardous surf warning has been issued for the southeast from Fraser Island to the Gold Coast after the former cyclone moved closer to the coast on Monday night.
Huge swells forced beaches to be closed on Tuesday across the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast as well as Moreton Bay and North Stradbroke Islands.
Abnormally high tides for Fraser Island, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast have been forecast with water levels up to 0.5m higher than usual and coastal erosion also expected on exposed beaches.
Damaging winds with gusts of up to 100 km/h have been predicted for coastal areas and higher terrain in the southeast.
BOM meteorologist Helen Reid said the tropical low - currently situated off the Gold Coast - was expected to continue to weaken by the end of the week.
But she urged Queenslanders to heed safety warnings with conditions still expected to be hazardous in coming days.
"It looks like it has done its dash," Ms Reid told AAP.
"We are not going to say 'yeah you are free to go to the beach again' because it still looks like difficult conditions.
"But it looks like the worst of it will be today and easing tomorrow - people just need to be patient and take heed of safety advice."
Deputy Police Commissioner Steven Gollschewski urged people to stay out of the surf.
"It was disappointing to see yesterday that there are a number of rescues across southeast Queensland on our beaches," he said on Tuesday .
"The hazardous surf warning remains in place from Fraser Island to the Gold Coast, to the border.
"So please everyone, go and look at the surf and please stay out of it. You're putting other people at risk if you go into it."
Ms Reid said the system was expected to bring rain in the state's southeast and northern NSW in the coming days as it moves across the Coral Sea but not significant amounts.
"We are not expecting hundreds of millimetres," she said.
