Qld floodwaters moving to NSW

Queensland's massive floodwaters are set to make waves in NSW this week.
With 80 per cent of Queensland natural disaster-declared, northern NSW towns are
expected to face major flooding later this week - some exceeding records set two
decades ago.

The Bureau of Meteorology said record flood levels are likely along the Paroo River
at Willara Crossing and further downstream from Thursday.
Flood levels at Wanaaring are expected to exceed the April 1990 flood late on Sunday.
Floodwaters are heading south from Dirranbandi, with levels in the Culgoa, Bokhara,
Birrie and Narran river systems expected to exceed 1990 levels over the next seven
days.
Moderate flooding is also expected just south of Cunnamulla, where the Warrego River
on Tuesday was around 10 metres.
Queensland's main flood peak on Tuesday was at Dirranbandi, with the Balonne at
5.25m and steady. The river is expected to remain above five metres until early next
week.
Dirranbandi continues to escape major flooding as the town is protected by a levee,
but outlying properties have been inundated and several families have had to
evacuate.
Meanwhile, emergency services are stocking up on anti-venom medication following
reports of snakes in the St George area.
The Department of Community Safety says snakes trying to find dry ground are
widespread.
"Anti-venom stocks have been re-supplied following reports of increased numbers of
snakes in the area," the department said in a statement on Tuesday morning.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told state parliament the disaster was "one of the
most significant flooding events in the state's history".
"Over the past week we have seen Mother Nature at her most ferocious," she said.
"The enormity of the rain event that we have witnessed over this week has broken all
of the known records."
But she said while there were significant personal and family losses and a massive
damage bill for state, federal and local governments, there would be an economic
spin-off for farmers, potentially over $1 billion.
The state and federal governments are offering emergency grants to small businesses
and primary producers hit by the flooding.
"The Australian government stands ready to assist the people of Queensland to
recover from this very serious natural disaster," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said in
a statement on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the tiny town of Bollon remained under water, with the towns of Thallon,
Nindigully, Cunnamulla, Hungerford, Quilpie, Thargomindah, Meandarra, Theodore,
Moura and Baralaba also dealing with floodwaters and inundation.
Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said disaster relief arrangements were
active in 59 shires, comprising 80 per cent of the state.
The clean-up was well under way in two of the largest centres to be hit, Charleville
and Roma.
Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace estimated about 1300km of state roads had been
damaged.
Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said an aerial survey from Charleville to
Cunnamulla had identified destroyed machinery and equipment and small mobs of
between 100 to 200 stranded cattle and sheep.
The survey also identified dead livestock, with reports of some farms losing as many
as 300 head.