In recent days, both regions have been deluged by hundreds of millimetres of rain, prompting numerous riverine flood warnings on either side of the border. This severe weather has necessitated a series of emergency rescues.
Among those requiring assistance were approximately 50 Year 12 students and teachers from North Lakes State College. The group found themselves in peril during a camping trip at Mount Barney, located near the Queensland-NSW border.
The school addressed the situation in a statement shared on social media this morning, explaining, “Rapidly changing weather conditions during our return from activities affected access to the camp accommodation site.”
In response, emergency services, including the State Emergency Service (SES), Queensland Police Service (QPS), Queensland Fire Department (QFD), and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), sprang into action. They successfully aided the staff and students in making a safe return to the SES base.
Throughout the ordeal, both students and staff remained unharmed. They were safely transported back to the college overnight, where relieved families were reunited with their loved ones.
“Students and staff remained safe throughout the incident and were transported back to the College overnight, where students were reunited with their families.”
This morning, the NSW SES also said it had responded to 197 incidents and carried out three rescues involving people and vehicles trapped in floodwaters at Numinbah, Brewongle, and Goongerry.
“We’ve already seen several flood rescues that could have ended very badly,” SES Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey said.
“Thanks to the quick response from NSW SES and our emergency service partners, everyone was brought to safety.”
He said the SES continued to work with local communities to prepare for further flooding and rain, and urged people to avoid the roads.
“The safest thing people can do right now is stay where they are and avoid travelling until floodwaters go down,” he said.
Falls of up to 240mm were recorded in the cross-border region in the past couple of days.
“Drier weather will return from Tuesday afternoon and night as the system moves off the country’s east coast.”
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