Lismore locals cautiously emerge from homes before heavy rain sets in and floodwaters rise

Residents of the Northern Rivers town have left their homes to walk dogs and survey the situation before the town is hit by expected major flooding and heavy rains.

A sense of cautious relief is washing over Lismore after Tropical Cyclone Alfred was downgraded from category two to a tropical low.

Before the heavy storms forecast for later on Saturday, locals emerged from homes to walk dogs and check the flood levels of the Wilsons River that runs parallel to the CBD.

In 2022 flood levels peaked at 14.4m, the highest on record. At 9.15am, Browns Creek Pump Station recorded minus 1.85m.

Browns Creek pump station, Lismore. Picture: Remy Varga

Resident Zelinda Brown, 65, said the city had been on tenterhooks over the past few days amid fears the horror flooding of 2022 could be repeated.

“It was just looking like it was going to be pretty bad – maybe not as bad as the previous flood – but this is great,” she said.

“This will mean it won’t come over the wall … it’s when it comes over the wall that it causes the most damage in town and the community.

“It’s a lot slower to go down and a lot slower to clean up, so hopefully we don’t get too much more rain and goes down fairly quickly and people can get on with their lives.”

Lismore Rugby Club has flooded and backs onto the Wilsons River. Picture: Remy Varga

The Australian Defence Force has arrived in Lismore and dozens of army trucks are parked on higher ground near a shopping complex in Goonellabah.

Army vehicles parked and waiting to assist along the streets of Lismore. Picture: Remy Varga

A number of roads have flooded including Bangalow Rd and Dawson St in the CBD.

Most shops including petrol stations have now been shuttered, however on Friday morning Cognito Cafe co-owner Anthony got a surprise on Friday morning when NSW Premier Chris Minns walked through the door.

The most powerful man in NSW dropped in at about 9am with a crew of people to order coffees and breakfast wraps.

He said he wasn’t sure which coffee belonged to Mr Minns but said he reckoned the state premier probably ordered a flat white.

“He’s (Minns) nice, he was sort of engaging and doing normal stuff,” he said.

A spokesman for Mr Minns confirmed the Premier drinks a flat white.

Meanwhile, rain started belting Lismore at about 11am.