The Australian military is helping airlift all residents of the Queensland township of Theodore to safety, as evacuation operations are put into action in a number of regions across the state.
Powerlines have been dismantled to allow helicopters to land and remove Theodore's 350 residents after the Dawson River passed its 1956 record of rising 14 metres overnight.
Emergency services officials say the situation is dire in a number of communities, some of which are experiencing their worst floods in more than 50 years.
Towns facing washouts and evacuations include Wowan, Warwick, Chinchilla, Dalby, Mundubbera, Gayndah, Alpha, Jericho, Pittsworth, Grantham, Killarney and Allora.
Conditions in Emerald and Rockhampton are being closely monitored, as waters there are expected to peak in the coming days. There could also be evacuations in the next 24 hours in Bundaberg.
The state government has activated personal hardship relief for people directly affected by floods, while record numbers of road closures are in place across the state.
The weather bureau says the deluge, which has caused widespread flooding in southern and central Queensland, is now only slowly making its way towards the sea.
Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts says the cost of flooding in the state has already reached $A600 million.
The winter grain crop in southern Queensland has been all but destroyed by flooding, costing the industry about $A400 million.
NSW floods ease
Floodwaters in New South Wales are easing, but warnings remain in place for a large number of rivers. State Emergency Services says up to 100 rural properties are still isolated.
In the north-east of the state, 175 people evacuated because of the flooding have been given the all-clear to return home.
Airbed riders arrested
Three teenagers in Queensland were arrested after trying to use inflatable mattresses to ride floodwaters from Ipswich to Brisbane more than 30km away.
Police received 10 emergency calls reporting the teenagers, who made it 15km downstream on single-bed blow-up air mattresses.
They are considering what charges could be laid.
The ABC reports that people are continuing to ignore warnings to stay out of floodwaters. More than 20 people have been rescued in the past few days.
