Residents across the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales have been waiting anxiously as Cyclone Alfred crawls towards them, leaving thousands in the dark.

Four million people are in the firing line of the region’s first tropical cyclone in more than half a century, which is expected to make landfall on Saturday. Thousands have been told to evacuate.

Most have taken heed of warnings to stay indoors – taping up their windows and strapping down garden furniture – while shops have lined sandbags in front of their doors.

Alfred’s path has slowed in recent days, with one meteorologist described it as a “walking pace” – which has sparked fears of prolonged rain and flooding.

In southern Brisbane, a popular city in Queensland, some from the homeless community have taken refuge at Emmanuel City Mission, filling the floor on rows of inflatable air mattresses.

The space, usually a day centre for people needing a shower or a hot meal, has become a round-the-clock shelter.

Operations manager Tim Noonan told the BBC that most government-funded charities in the inner city of Brisbane have shut down since Thursday, leaving limited options for those in need.

It may be the first time in a long while that homeless people – who typically live in tents in parks or along riverbanks – have a proper resting space, he said.

“It’s counter intuitive…but this is the best they’ve been looked after. They’ve got somewhere to sleep.

“For a lot of them, this would be the first time in 10 years they’ve had an eight-hour sleep in air conditioning, going to bed on a full belly, waking up, getting a barista coffee and a bacon and egg burger,” he said.

Mr Noonan said he hoped the cyclone would highlight the need for better funding for organisations such as his.

“We’d love for when the cyclone passes, that these people don’t become invisible again,” he said.

Lauren Gorman was spending her second night at the centre with her dog Charcoal.

“I live on the streets, we have a housing crisis, and now we have a cyclone. This place has been amazing for finding other people who are doing it rough and getting information,” she told the BBC.

“I’m not scared, but I am worried for others who are still on the streets.”

While the authorities have warned for days about the cyclone, some die-hard surfers have instead seized the opportunity to ride the high waves.

Federal MP Anika Wells, whose Lilley electorate is in the north of Brisbane, says complacency is the biggest risk – especially as the arrival of the cyclone kept being pushed back.

“We’re going door to door in some suburbs, where people are being asked to evacuate, but lots of people aren’t going because this is a once-in-50 year event, and it’s hard to take that notice to evacuate seriously, perhaps, when the sun is still shining in your backyard,” Wells told the BBC.

As well as strong winds, Cyclone Alfred is expected to dump as much as 800mm of rain in the coming days. Flash and riverine flooding is the biggest concern in low-lying areas.

Some residents have been told they could be without power for days.

Nearly 1,000 schools have closed, public transport has been suspended and airports are shut. Elective surgeries have also been cancelled.

Flights are not expected to resume until Sunday at the earliest.

Additional reporting by Kelly Ng