It was the first cyclone to threaten Brisbane in almost 30 years, but ex-tropical Cyclone Oma barely ruffled feathers across much of the Queensland coast.

Because Oma remained off the coast, wind and rain hanging around Brisbane was sucked back into the cyclone, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Kimba Wong said.

A surfer walks near beach erosion at Kirra on the Gold Coast on Saturday. Credit:AAP Image/ Darren England

“It did sit a little bit further offshore but if hit had have come closer we would have seen heavier rainfall and stronger winds.”

While torrential rain and brutal winds abated, the combination of last week’s king tides, massive waves and storm surge pushed water higher up the beach than normal, eating into the coast.