Tension is starting to grip the inland Queensland town of St George as authorities force residents to evacuate to avoid record flooding.
The call for mandatory evacuations was made by authorities after Australian Bureau of Meteorology modelling indicated the Balonne River could peak in the town at 15 metres on Tuesday.
The flood that devastated the town in March 2010 reached only 13.4m.
Resident Angela Doran said she had been planning to stay in town but, after mandatory evacuations were declared, the seriousness of the situation had become apparent.
"We're putting everything up high, packing up and then we're out of here," she said this afternoon.
"The police are doorknocking and not giving people any option (to stay)," she said.
The town's police presence has been tripled to 30 officers to help with evacuations and ensure property is safe.
Doran said although St George people were used to floods, the latest warnings were taking a toll on residents.
"It's pretty panicky here," she said. "I think everyone just wants to get out now.
"Some people are in disbelief because we just haven't seen this scale before and that's what makes it so scary."
Premier Anna Bligh said the water in St George could swell 1.6m higher than the previous record if it peaked around 15m.
She said levees saved the town last year, but they could cope with only 14.5m.
A town with sewerage and electricity was a "very dangerous place to be" in a flood, she said.
The only way out of town is the Moonie Highway, which is expected to be cut by floodwaters tonight.
Bligh said during last year's floods, which devastated most of the state, only two small towns of 300 people were evacuated.
St George has a population of about 2500.
Red Cross volunteers are helping residents evacuate.
Body recovered in Roma
The body of Roma mother Jane Sheahan has been found after she was swept away in floodwaters in the inland Queensland town.
She had been missing since Friday afternoon when she drove her car into a flooded road.
Her seven-year-old son was saved by onlookers, but Sheahan was swept away before she could be rescued.
Searchers found her body near a bridge in the town this afternoon.
Sheahan is the first victim of the current Queensland floods.
Clean-up efforts begin as NSW looks to Qld
As Moree's residents begin cleaning up from floodwaters, Australian emergency services warn that the nightmare could be repeated in other parts of NSW as water gushes downstream from Queensland.
Floodwaters continue to isolate more than 3000 people across the state, including in the towns of Wee Waa, Goodooga, Gravesend and parts of the mid-north coast.
Australian State Emergency Service (SES) spokeswoman Erin Pogmore said the worst affected was Wee Waa, where about 2200 people were likely to remain stranded for the next five days or so.
"The big thing we are focusing on is resupply, making sure they have essential medical items and food," Pogmore said today.
In Moree, about 1100 people were given the all clear at North Moree, Bendygleet and Gwydirfield, after spending three nights in evacuation centres.
But a big clean-up effort is required at 300 properties after water inundated homes and destroyed carpets.
"They have extensive cleaning to do and hosing out of the houses before they can go back," Pogmore said.
Volunteers, the Rural Fire Service and others are on hand to help locals mop up after the region's worst flood in 35 years.
But the biggest concern now is the volume of floodwater moving south from Queensland.
By mid-February it could swamp communities further inland such as Mungindi, Walgett, Bourke, Collarenebri and Brewarrina.
"We are asking people to restock their homes and collect anything that is important, such as photographs, in case they need to be evacuated."
Pogmore said it was not yet known if levels at Moree could also be topped up by the slow-moving floodwaters.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell on Saturday told Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard the crisis was far from over.
Since flooding began on Tuesday the SES has conducted about 45 rescues and answered more than 4000 calls for assistance since Wednesday.
The Salvation Army has launched an appeal to help the victims of flooding in NSW.
"We know that the journey to recovery continues long after the rain has ceased and the waters have subsided," spokesman Major Bruce Harmer said today.
"Communities will need access to counsellors and financial advisers to help people through this crisis.
"So we're asking the community to help us be there again by donating funds to our Australian Disaster Relief Appeal."
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