A Eugowra man has demanded more support for flood-stricken Central-West communities from the NSW premier, as additional funding is announced for farmers.
While visiting the flood-ravaged town of Eugowra, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet was confronted by local Peter Jones.
"People were just left to their own devices, we had no food, no clothing, no-one telling them what will happen next — no-one was here to help us," he told the premier.
Mr Jones said, after months of flooding across the country, authorities should have responded faster.
"We have had enough floods and disasters in Australia, surely we don't have to wait?" he said.
"You have had enough time, you know what the disasters are like. In Lismore they had the same thing, it is just repeating the same thing over and over."
Funding announced
The NSW and federal governments have announced that primary producer grants will be increased from $25,000 to $75,000, with $10,000 grants available for smaller rural landholders in the area.
Residents in Eugowra have raised concerns over a lack of insurance cover preventing them from rebuilding.
Mr Perrottet said he would be meeting with the insurance council to ensure locals would be able to return to Eugowra.
"Clearly there is a long road ahead, there is no way to sugar-coat that," he said.
"My commitment to Eugowra is we are going to rebuild, and rebuild in a very strong way. No-one is going anywhere. They are coming home."
The Premier said he did not believe Eugowra needed to be rebuilt away from the flood plain.
"The rivers are full, the dams are full, catchments are full, the ground is wet, and that is why we saw what happened in Eugowra," he said.
"This was a freak event. You would be closing down the entire state."
Record flooding in Condobolin
In Condobolin, the Lachlan River has already exceeded the 1952 record level, however a peak is not expected until Monday.
A makeshift levee, labelled the "Great Wall of Condo", has been built to protect the town, due to a sandbag shortage preventing the protection of all homes.
NSW State Emergency Services (SES) incident controller Ken Murphy said ADF personnel, along with SES volunteers and firefighters were moving into the area to help the community prepare for the flood.
"We are moving some additional resources in there today to greatly assist that community and get it ready for the oncoming impact once again over the weekend," he said.
Fourteen flood rescues were carried out on Friday, the majority of which involved people driving through flood waters.
The Lachlan River peaked in Forbes on Thursday at 10.68 metres, but has started to recede.
The flood reached levels not seen in the town for 70 years.
"Around 700 residential and commercial properties have been impacted by that event," Mr Murphy said.
"We'll now start to move our damage assessment teams into that area."
Rural communities preparing to evacuate
Forbes Shire Council Mayor Phyllis Miller said she was now more concerned about the surrounding villages as water continued downstream.
"They've been flooded for four months, so it's going to be really tough," she said.
"Those buggers out there, I dread to think what their mental health is like."
Prepare to evacuate orders have been issued for Bedgerabong and Warroo, west of Forbes, and low-lying properties around Menindee.
Bedgerabong local Bethany Osborne said the town's levee bank was breached overnight.
"We have been fighting this battle for a long time … unfortunately last night we lost the battle and the banks have broken and water is coming in fast," she said.
Ms Osborne said homes would be impacted by floodwater soon.
"There is a small block of houses within the community and already it is coming up in the back paddocks of these homes," she said.
A makeshift evacuation centre is currently being set up at the community hall.
Meanwhile, the only four residents in the rural town of Tilpa have chosen to leave, after being isolated for several weeks.
Publican Phil Marnie said they had been getting food and medical drops from the SES, but with volunteers now tied up with other flooding in the central west, they felt they should "do their bit".
"We left in a convoy and we've got a local farmer coming in by boat or plane to check on things every day or two," Mr Marnie said.
"We were already getting food and medical drops and they were too tied up with things going on in the Central West, so we felt we should do our bit.
"We're hoping to be back by Christmas."
Evacuation warnings are in place for Tilpa, low-lying areas of Darlington point, Willow Bend, East Condobolin, and low-lying areas in Condobolin.
Search for missing Eugowra men continues
In Eugowra, the search continues for two men believed to be missing in floodwaters, with the body of one woman already found.
Police said an officer was assisting an elderly woman trapped by floodwaters on Monday morning when she spotted the unidentified body of a man in floodwaters.
The officer was unable to leave the woman and lost sight of the body, but it was believed to belong to a man in his 20s.
There are also fears for Les Vugec, 85, whose family had not been able to reach him since the area was flooded and there were serious concerns for his welfare.
