THE central Queensland town of Emerald was officially declared a disaster zone yesterday as the Premier, Anna Bligh, met emergency officials to decide how to help flood-hit areas.
The floods could cost the state's farmers $1 billion in crop and stock losses.
Last night Emerald was bracing for intense flooding as the rain-swollen Nogoa River continued to rise, having reached 14.65 metres at 2pm.
"All we can say is it will peak overnight tonight," said a Weather Bureau hydrologist, Jeff Perkins.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, said the Federal Government was standing by to assist. "We are watching very carefully the future needs for further evacuations in Emerald itself," he said.
Further south at Cunnamulla, where the Australian Defence Force has been deployed to help, the 10.3-metre levee banks were expected to keep floodwaters below the 1997 levels when the Warrego River peaks tomorrow.
More than 100 central Queensland properties have been cut off by the floods and at least 300 people have been evacuated, with some in emergency accommodation at Emerald's agricultural college and town hall.
The town's cotton gin was being equipped as an evacuation centre, with 1000 beds, toilets and cooking facilities being trucked to the town.
Brett De Hayr, chief executive of the Queensland primary industries lobby group AgForce, said: "We are getting reports of up to $500,000 worth of cattle being lost on individual properties.
"Some reports on irrigation properties are for $1.5 million to $2 million worth of infrastructure and crop losses."
Mr De Hayr said the cumulative losses statewide could be much higher. "You would probably be looking at in excess of $1 billion in this sort of rainfall."
Some of the state's sorghum crop, which had been expected to be the biggest for 20 years, had been due for harvest in the next few weeks. "But those same people now have guaranteed irrigation for the next couple of years," Mr De Hayr said.
Fairbairn Dam, south-west of Emerald, has overflowed for the first time in 17 years and now holds at least two years' supply of irrigation water for farmers.
Ms Bligh said although Emerald and Cunnamulla had been hard hit, the flooding was more widespread. "These are people who may well need restocking, medical supplies and they may well be isolated for some time. The extent of the effect of this is well beyond those two towns."
Helicopters evacuated workers stranded at the Ensham thermal coalmine, east of Emerald, after it was cut in half by floodwaters.
AAP
Monsoonal rains in Queensland, Australia have caused massive flooding over two thirds of the state, and led Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts to declare the town of Emerald a disaster zone.

The floods, which first hit the north part of the state a week ago, have since spread as far south as Charleville, where they have been compared to the floods which struck the town in 1990 and 1997, and stand in stark comparison to the drought that has plagued the area since 2003. Authorities believe that temporary floodbanks, erected near the town, will hold back the waters.

More than 2,000 people have evacuated from Emerald, and more than 200 homes are on standby to evacuate. According to Acting Mayor Kerry Hayes, "the shopping centres are basically short of bottled water, bread and milk obviously and a lot of baby necessities", which will be brought in by rail as the town is currently cut off by road.

The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, who visited Charleville, has pledged federal support during the disaster. Damage from the floods is predicted to be as high as $A1 billion.