A team of 15 New Zealand Civil Defence personnel will be in Brisbane by the weekend to assist the Queensland flood relief work.
Civil Defence director John Hamilton says the group has a range of practical expertise, from sand-bagging to running welfare centres.
He says while 15 people does not sound like many against a disaster of this scale, he is confident they will make a big contribution.
Mr Hamilton says the New Zealand team is likely to be sent to rural communities in western Queensland, where flood waters have started to recede, leaving huge damage in their wake.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said on Wednesday that the disaster is unprecedented and the bill could be well above $A5 billion.
