Prince moved by story of boy's courage

A deeply moved Prince William has met the family of Queensland floods hero Jordan Rice, the 13-year-old boy who sacrificed his life so that his little brother could survive.

Prince William travelled to Toowoomba yesterday to meet Jordan Rice's father John Tyson and Blake Rice, the 11-year-old who may owe his life to his brother's valour.

"It was a fantastic experience talking to the prince," John Tyson said.

"I wasn't going to do it, but I'm very glad that I did.

"He (Prince William) could feel our pain.

"You could see it in his eyes."

Blake said simply: "It was great meeting the prince. It was a real honour."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard hailed Jordan as a hero after he gave up his life so rescuers could save his younger brother.

Jordan screamed at rescuers to save Blake first, before he was swept away in the family car as flash floods hit Toowoomba in January.

It was one of the most harrowing stories of the flood disaster that claimed 37 lives and caused billions of dollars in damage.

Prince William was clearly moved by the family's plight as his "Disaster Down Under" tour moved to one of the areas that suffered the heaviest loss of life.

Before reaching Toowoomba the prince stopped off at nearby Grantham, where at least nine people died and three are still missing.

The tiny Lockyer Valley town was inundated by what Premier Anna Bligh called an "inland tsunami".

Such was the force of the torrent that one body was swept 80km downstream.

Many Grantham residents saw bodies floating past them as they waited to be rescued.

The prince heard chilling tales of how townspeople took their families up into their ceilings to escape the rising water, and in some cases kicked out roofs to take family members higher and save their lives.

Local councillor Peter Friend was among them, getting his wife Wendy, mother-in-law Estelle and the family dogs onto their roof.

Despite his grim tale, Mr Friend got at least one big laugh from Prince William.

He told the 28-year-old royal he was avoiding making wedding plans and should be back at home in England helping his fiancee Catherine Middleton prepare for their April 29 marriage at Westminster Abbey.

Mr Friend's mother-in-law also showed the toughness and humour of country folk.

Dismissing her rooftop ordeal, she said: "I was more worried about the dogs than I was about myself."

The prince met the Rice family at Toowoomba showgrounds, where he was able to enjoy some country and western music as entertainers including Lee Kernaghan, Kasey Chambers, Graeme Connors and Gina Jeffreys performed to raise money for flood victims.

It was one of the more upbeat sections of a tour that has also taken Prince William to disaster scenes at Christchurch and Greymouth.

He will continue his trip Down Under when he visits flooded areas of northern Victoria today.

- AAP