Beachgoers have been warned hefty waves are set to crash into Sydney beaches as a cyclone swell triggers powerful surf conditions along the NSW coast.
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The Bureau of Meteorology issued a hazardous surf warning for NSW, warning of dangerous conditions for swimmers, boaters and rock fishermen on Saturday.
Senior forecaster Neale Fraser said tropical Cyclone Gita was bearing down on the New Caledonia coast and would whip up the swell as it continued to head west.
The category four cyclone brought winds of up to 275km/h and heavy rains when it tore through Fiji several days ago.
Massive waves are set to roll into the NSW and Queensland coast on Saturday night before tapering off on Tuesday.
Mr Fraser said swells were expected to hover around 2 to 2.5 metres, and while they would be “not exceptionally large” they would be “more powerful than they appear”.
“They won't be huge waves but they'll have a lot of energy because of ... a big wave length so a mass of water in each wave crest.
“It gets up to ... 18 seconds between waves, which means there's a lot of energy in each wave coming through, so that's the biggest concern.”
Police said beachgoers should consider staying out of the water and avoid walking near areas exposed to the surf.
They also urged fishers to avoid rock platforms exposed to the ocean and encouraged boaters to carry safety equipment and delay plans to cross shallow water and ocean bars.
