Queensland and NSW brace for more heavy rain, while northern Australia swelters

South-east Queensland and north-east NSW may be hit by flash flooding, but across the far north temperatures will remain in the 40s

Heavy rainfall was expected to batter parts of Australia’s east coast on New Year’s Day, with flood-ravaged communities bracing for more potential flash flooding.

Residents of Queensland’s far south-east including the Gold Coast, Coolangatta, Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook were on high alert with a severe weather warning forecasting locally intense rainfall.