The Murray River is expected to peak at Echuca on Sunday and Queensland's Central Highlands is on alert for flash flooding as the Bureau of Meteorology warns of more rain to come.
Look back on Thursday's developments.
Key events
- Murray River peak at Echuca now expected Sunday
- October rainfall records fall in NSW
- Victoria announces public health response
- Moama community rallies together
- Rochester's sewerage network partially restored
- Storms in Qld Central Highlands leave 2,000 without power
- Queensland's Central Highlands on high alert for flash flooding
- Victorian SES says next 24 hours critical for Echuca
- NSW authorities on high alert with more rain forecast across state
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Live updates
By Bridget Judd
Where to find emergency assistance and information
We're going to close the live blog here, but you can find emergency assistance and information below.
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For emergency assistance, contact the SES on 132 500
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If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately
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Roads and bridges may be impacted by flash flooding. You can find the latest Victorian evacuation orders here, the latest Tasmanian evacuation orders here and the latest NSW evacuation orders here.
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For the latest weather updates visit the Bureau of Meteorology
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If you're not sure what to do when there's a flood, here's the best way to plan
Listen to ABC Local Radio for regular updates:
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ABC Radio Melbourne on 774am or online
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ABC Radio Sydney on 702am or online
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ABC Radio Hobart on 936am or online
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Search for a different frequency using the ABC Radio Finder
By Jessica Riga
This racing club in Victoria is hoping to bounce back quickly
The Wimmera Kart Racing Club is hopeful the damage won't be too bad, after moderate flooding prompted the nearby swamp to spill onto its newly laid track.
The ABC's Alexander Darling spoke with the club earlier.
By Ashleigh Barraclough
'Sacrificial lambs' in Echuca wait for rising waters
Residents on the "wrong side" of a 2.5-kilometre levee in Echuca, in Victoria's north, are waiting anxiously to see what impacts water rises will have on their properties and town.
Water has already spread across some of the streets in the area, where the Murray River is expected to peak on the weekend.
Emergency services say the projected peak is about 95 metres above sea level — higher than the 1993 flood event in the community.
You can read the full story by ABC Goulburn Murray's Callum Marshall and Sandra Moon using the link below.
By Bridget Judd
The message is clear: stay out of flood waters
By Sian Johnson
Vic Premier says rebuilding Rochester will take 'months, maybe longer'
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews visited the badly flood-damaged town of Rochester earlier today.
It's been estimated 85 per cent of the town was damaged by flooding along the Campaspe River.
He told ABC Radio Melbourne late this afternoon the town's recovery would not be "days and weeks" but "months, and maybe longer".
"We'll be there all the way through rebuilding, repairing, supporting those families and indeed business," he said.
While he was in the town he met with emergency services members.
"It was great to be on the ground with them today, talking, but more listening, just asking that basic question, 'what do you need?'" Mr Andrews said.
"They've given me a few things that they need and we're chasing those up now."
The town's sewer network is still only partially operational and the local water authority has estimated it will take up to eight weeks and cost millions of dollars to fix.
By Bridget Judd
Moama on high alert with floodwaters rising fast
Over in NSW, heavy rain and storms have been forecast for the next few days.
Moama in the Riverina district is on high alert in several areas.
Local farmer Fleur Ferris says floodwaters are rising fast.
"[The water is] almost at our property, and we have Old Barham Road on one fence line and its reached the fence line there."
By Ashleigh Barraclough
Help from community means Bridgewater Hotel can reopen after flooding
The Bridgewater Hotel is reopening tonight, after it flooded last week.
Bridgewater on Loddon, near Bendigo, lived up to its name when the Loddon River inundated the main street on Friday.
The hotel, the riverside motel and the Bridgewater Bakehouse were among the businesses impacted by the water.
Six inches of water pooled in the hotel, but publican Virginia Hyland told ABC Radio Melbourne the clean-up was relatively fast as the river receded quickly.
She says a raft of locals helped prepare the business for flooding.
"Then they all came back and helped us put it all back. The CFA hosed out the hotel," she says.
She hopes the opening night's 'beers, cheers and tears' event will help flood-affected residents share the emotion of the last week.
"Everyone needs it. Everyone needs to share their stories, have a beer, relax, and know that they're safe here," she says.
Ms Hyland says the community hasn't stopped since last Thursday.
"We're actually hosting a wedding here on Saturday," she says.
By Sian Johnson
Here's how to access flood support in Vic
If you're among the thousands of people whose lives have been turned upside down by the floods in recent days, here's a guide that might come in handy.
There is support for individuals available from both state and federal governments, as well as grants targeted at farmers and small business owners.
Here's what you need to know:
By Sian Johnson
Charges laid over alleged burglary in flood-affected Melbourne suburb
Police have charged a man they allege burgled a flood-affected home in Burton Crescent, Maribyrnong, on Monday.
Parts of the suburb were badly affected by flooding late last week after the Maribyrnong River burst it banks.
A 26-year-old Sunshine West man is facing 12 charges including burglary, obtaining property by deception and handling stolen goods.
He is due to face the Sunshine Magistrates' Court in April next year.
Another Sunshine West man aged 33 is expected to be charged on summons with deception offences.
Officers are looking for a third man to assist them with their inquiries, and are asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
By Bridget Judd
Town scrambles for levee upgrades as highest flows in 50 years fill river
Up to 120 gigalitres of water a day is forecast to come down the Murray River by early December — the highest level of flows since the 1970s.
As engineers and flood planners today visit the sites of concern, irrigators have called on Renmark Paringa Council and private landholders to cooperate with the state government to get the upgrades swiftly completed.
South Australian Murray Irrigators chair Caren Martin said the actions were prudent but long overdue and needed to be completed by November.
"This is something that's been flagged by communities for many years now but a lot of people didn't think we'd get a flood this big again," she said.
"So it wasn't seen as a high priority, and now here we are, it is a high priority."
By Sian Johnson
Murray River peak at Echuca now expected Sunday
The Bureau of Meterology has issued an update indicating that the Murray River is now expected to peak sometime on Sunday.
Previously, it was expected to take place sometime on Saturday.
The BOM update said the level the river is expected to reach on Sunday — 94.80 metres — is similar to the level it reached during floods in October 1993.
By Bridget Judd
Condobolin bracing for possible major flood peak of 6.7 metres
ABC Central West reporter Mollie Gorman took these photos of the Lachlan River at Condobolin in central west NSW, where a major flood peak around 6.7 metres is possible tomorrow.
The water is travelling from Forbes, where moderate flooding last week led to an evacuation order for hundreds of homes and businesses.
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning further rainfall forecast over the catchment this afternoon and tomorrow could lead to renewed rises throughout the system.
By Bridget Judd
The latest on Australia's wet weather: flood levels and the areas to watch
A lot of the focus today has been on Moama and Echuca on the Victoria-New South Wales border where residents are rallying with sandbags to protect homes and businesses.
Senior BoM forecaster Jonathan How said the latest figures show the Murray River is currently at 94.4 metres above sea level.
"The 1993 level was 94.77 — so [the water is] only about 30 to 40 centimetres off the 1993 level — but it is rising and expected to peak in the next few days.
He said the water was expected to exceed the 1993 level.
Read the full story below.
By Ashleigh Barraclough
First Nations communities come together to protect historic site
Dozens of First Nations people have been pitching in to help protect the historic site of the Cummeragunja community on the New South Wales border.
Two days ago, one of the flood levees around the site was breached. They had no supplies and resources were being diverted to larger towns.
"That really broke our hearts," says Leon Atkinson, CEO of the Cummeragunja Land Council.
"I could see a lot of the anguish in other communities that are much bigger, much more highly populated."
Yesterday, they were overwhelmed by support, with people coming from far and wide, along with authorities, to help protect the site.
"We had a very large influx of volunteers," he says.
He says the community has rebuilt levees to protect an old school building which is "loaded with history" and a medical clinic.
"It might just be two buildings, but the history can't be replaced," he says.
Carren Bux says she came from Deniliquin to help her family.
She says the site is also important for the Moonahcullah community, which she's from.
"Many families have lived here forever – there's a hell of a lot of history for a lot of the Cummeragunja fellas," she says.
"If it was us in this situation we know these fellas would be over there helping their brothers and sisters."
Reporting by Mary Gearin and staff
By Bridget Judd
Men arrested over burglary at flood-affected home in Melbourne
Police have arrested two men over a burglary at a flood-affected home in Maribyrnong, in Melbourne's north-west.
Police were told a vehicle pulled up outside a Burton Crescent home early on Monday morning. It's understood a man then entered the unoccupied home, stealing several personal items while two other men waited outside in the car.
Two men from Sunshine West , one aged 26, and the other 33, are now helping police with their enquiries.
By Jessica Riga
Mare's Tail Waterfall cops a drenching in Central Queensland
Mare’s Tail Waterfall is in full flow near Springsure, Central Queensland, which has copped a drenching in the past 48 hours.
By Bridget Judd
Major flooding expected at Moama, with river rises this afternoon and tomorrow
There are dozens of flood warnings across NSW, with some communities along the southern border region anxiously waiting to see the flood peaks.
Major flooding is expected at Moama, with river rises this afternoon and tomorrow.
The NSW Weather Bureau's Jonathan Howe says most of the rain statewide is localised due to thunderstorms.
"But heading into Friday and and then certainly into the weekend we start to some some of those rainfall totals start to accumulate across the Great Dividing Range, north-west slopes, central west and also the south-west slopes and then heading into the weekend [we] are expecting some renewed flooding."
By Bridget Judd
Unpredictable Murray and Murrumbidgee flows cause uncertainty for Southern NSW communities
NSW currently has more than 65 active flood warnings in place. In the state's south, the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers are experiencing significant flooding.
Engineer Bryan Young has studied flood movements in the Riverina region for 50 years and works with local councils in flood management.
He said compared with major flooding in 2012, the current flood peaks moving down the Murrumbidgee River were taking longer to reach communities and longer to leave.
"With regards to this flow going on and on and on for a fair while the main problem is that it's been such a wet year," he said.
By Bridget Judd
Widespread rain and storms forecast for eastern Australia as flooding continues in Victoria and New South Wales
Widespread showers, rain and thunderstorms will continue to impact eastern Australia in the coming days into early next week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
- Showers and thunderstorms are possible for much of eastern Australia, from northern Queensland into New South Wales, northern Victoria and eastern South Australia.
- The risk of severe thunderstorms will be on and west of the Great Dividing Range, most likely for eastern inland Queensland and northern inland New South Wales.
- Severe thunderstorms are possible for central and southern New South Wales and into northern Victoria.
