Flooded Queensland towns wait for Easter rebirth

SEVERAL towns in northern NSW could remain isolated until Easter, as floodwaters from Queensland slowly head south

Aerial images of flooding at Walgett

SEVERAL towns in northern NSW could remain isolated until Easter, as floodwaters from Queensland slowly head south across the already swamped region.

Last night, almost 6000 residents in the state's north were cut off, with that number set to reach 10,000 by the end of next week.

Among the worst hit towns are the small Aboriginal townships of Goodooga and Weilmoringle, with populations of 300 and 70 respectively, and nearby Walgett, which is home to 1800 people.

NSW State Emergency Service spokesman Phil Campbell said Goodooga was likely to be isolated for the next eight weeks, while Walgett would be cut off some time over this weekend and would remain so for at least six weeks.

The historic opal mining town of Lightning Ridge will also be isolated until next month.

But unlike the floods that hit three years ago, these waters are far more slow-moving as steady summer rains had left the billabongs and rivers already full by the time the floods arrived.

"This time around, the water has had nowhere to go. The billabongs were already full so the water is moving through the towns no faster than walking pace," Mr Campbell said.

"These are floods to set your calendar by, not your watch."

Over the past week, the SES has deployed 27 helicopters to ferry food, petrol, mail, and medical supplies to the isolated communities.

The large-scale operation will continue for several weeks, although the region is likely to get some respite: the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts dry weather across northern NSW for at least the next fortnight.

"We call them sunny-day floods," Mr Campbell said.

"There's water everywhere, but above us it's glorious sunshine."