an estimated 41,000 people were temporarily isolated by flooding in new south wales. in the tweed valley the tweed river peaked at on 28 january, the highest level recorded in 30 years. in grafton the clarence river peaked a new record height of . records for the river height in grafton go back to 1839. the city's levee was credited with preventing more severe flooding. despite that, around 1,500 people who lived closed to the clarence river were asked to evacuate on the night of 28 january. maclean was spared flooding from the clarence river due to the town's levee. the clarence valley was not as fortunate, with many properties cut off and without power. the area was officially declared a disaster zone, as was the tweed shire. minor flooding and road closures were experienced in the hunter valley.