Boats back on water after cyclone hits NQ

Tourists stranded on north Queensland islands after a cyclone passed through the area are now able to return to the mainland.

Shipping and flights were disrupted along the state's north coast due to strong winds, torrential rain and storm surges spurred by Cyclone Dylan on Thursday and Friday.

Gusts up to 135km/h, heavy rain and storm surges battered coastal areas from Townsville to Rockhampton on Friday as the category two cyclone crossed the coast before fizzling out.

Ports in the tourist town of Airlie Beach reopened on Saturday morning, allowing stranded tourists to return to the mainland from the resort islands.

The cyclone caused minor disruption to tourists visiting the region to celebrate the Chinese New Year, since they couldn't get off the island, ferries between the islands and the mainland were cancelled and other tourist boats were unable to travel.

But Tourism Whitsundays destination marketing manager Daryl Hudson told AAP this was nothing new.

"This is the tropics," he said.

"Things are slowly returning to normal."

Most north Queensland communities escaped major damage, but some holiday homes on Great Keppel Island, off the central Queensland coast, were badly battered.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected between Mackay and Bundaberg with coastal river levels expected to rise. However, the weather bureau is not predicting in serious flooding.