A woman left stranded on top of a table in her home was one of many people caught out by flash flooding in the early hours of New Year's Eve.
Slow-moving storm cells sparked heavy downpours in central and southern Queensland, dumping more than 100mm in some areas on Tuesday and breaking the previous December rainfall record at Kingaroy.
It led to a string of water rescues in the early hours as floodwaters cut off roads, causing significant damage.
An emergency alert watch was issued late on Monday for Kingaroy to the South Burnett region northwest of Brisbane, warning residents that flash flooding was occurring.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Kingaroy, west of the Sunshine Coast, received 149mm in 24 hours, nearly doubling its record for a December daily rainfall set in 2008.
South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Kathy Duff said Kingaroy received its record rainfall within a space of two hours on Tuesday morning and it represented a 1-in-100-year flood for the area.
“Emergency services, police and council staff have worked through the night," she said.
"There were people rescued. One lady was found on her table. Fortunately everyone is safe.
"It's been very challenging. There's been lots of damage. It's very concerning particularly for small businesses as there has been flooding in shops."
Cr Duff urged people travelling in the area to drive to the conditions.
"Some intersections have been badly damaged. There's quite a lot of work to be done," she said.
Queensland's highest rainfall was 182mm at Torbanlea, north of Maryborough on the Fraser Coast, followed by 169mm at Hervey Bay's Black Swamp.
Other people were rescued across Queensland after campers were stranded and motorists forced to climb onto their vehicles due to flash flooding.
Three people were rescued from a campsite at Toogoom near Maryborough at 3.37am on Tuesday after they were stranded by flooding.
A number of motorists also needed help as water levels rose, with one reportedly seeking shelter in a tree before rescue crews arrived.
A man was transported to hospital after he was rescued from the top of his vehicle which became stuck in floodwaters at 3.43am at Oxford in central Queensland.
A water rescue team found another motorist in floodwaters near Gladstone after he climbed out of his car and into a tree just after 3am.
The Queensland Fire Department said the man was found clinging to a tree in floodwaters after his car was submerged and he was retrieved by three crews with small water craft by 3.40am.
Seqwater said outflows from the Borumba Dam, south of Gympie, had increased due to continuing rain in the catchment area.
"Avoid potential hazards downstream of the dam such as fast flowing or deep water near waterways and floodplains," the water authority said.
Flood warnings remain for the Fraser Coast's Burrum and Cherwell Rivers, as well as Wide Bay's Stuart River and central Queensland's Boyne River.
Showers and storms have been forecast for New Year's Day across Queensland.
