When Kiwi chopper crewman Tony Young pulled baby Montannah Creasy from her flooded town, he was thinking of his own sons. Now, he has become the face of the Queensland rescue effort.

A victim found 80km away from where the person went missing in the Lockyer Valley demonstrates the massive search and rescue task ahead, authorities say.

'Her legs got caught in the sleepers and she was drowning with her baby in her arms.'

Queensland residents have been told to prepare for the 'unbearable stench' that follows a flood as the massive clean-up begins.

Officials are keeping a close watch on flood levees protecting a town bordering Queensland and New South Wales as water levels creep within 40cm of their 11 metre limit.

No bodies have been found in a mass of cars washed under a Queensland town's rail bridge where authorities feared they would find several people dead.

Experts blame a combination of a La Nina weather pattern and global warming for the magnitude of the Queensland flood disaster.

NZ's Civil Defence team was back on the move in flood-ravaged Queensland today after spending a frustrating day off confined to one of the state's isolated communities.

Flooding has left a valley to the west of Brisbane looking like a war zone, with Australian troops steeling themselves for expected ‘terrible outcomes’ as they move into the devastated area.

The threat of looting is making Queensland flood victims reluctant to evacuate their properties.

Brisbane's mayor has called on residents to 'put the shoulder to the wheel' and help clean up.