Defence aircraft enlisted to help

An RAAF Hercules heavylift aircraft joined a fleet of defence force choppers in the flooded Queensland channel country.

MILITARY resources have been mobilised to deal with the mounting flood crisis in Queensland's channel country, with an RAAF Hercules heavylift aircraft joining a fleet of defence force choppers in the disaster zone.

The transport plane was called in to evacuate patients from the public hospital in St George, as a wall of water bore down on the town of 3800, 500km west of Brisbane.

In addition, four Black Hawk and four Kiowa helicopters from the Oakey airbase on the Darling Downs are carrying out operations to search for missing people, resupply cut-off communities and evacuate those at risk.

Backup SES crews and other emergency personnel are going in as disaster planners try to keep pace with the flood as it surges south from hard-hit Mitchell and Roma, with St George and communities clustered around the Queensland-NSW border next in the firing line.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the city's showgrounds would be set up as a recovery centre for St George residents.

"So we're ready. We're on standby and, should the need arise, we'll be ready to whip into action," Mr Quirk told ABC radio.

SES and council teams from Brisbane have already travelled to St George to reinforce local crews.

Overnight, helicopters winched people to safety in St George and flew in food and portable generators to ease conditions in evacuation points in Charleville, Roma and Mitchell.

Julia Gillard pledged further federal support as required. The Queensland government said natural disaster relief and recovery arrangements had been activated in the three southwest shires hit hardest by the flooding.

Personal hardship grants of up to $180 a person and $900 for families were now available, state Community Services Minister Karen Struthers said.

Low-income earners could also access grants of up to $1765 for individuals and $5300 to families to replace lost or damaged household goods. Structural assistance grants of up to $10,905 for individuals and $14,685 for families would be offered to repair uninsured homes.