Destructive winds are severely hampering efforts to restore power to thousands of homes and businesses after powerful gusts and heavy rain triggered flood warnings across NSW's north coast.
About 4300 energy customers across parts of the Northern Rivers have been affected by widespread unplanned power outages, according to Essential Energy.
High winds, trees and branches have caused widespread damage to the electricity network, impacting power supply along areas between Maclean and Murwillumbah.
"Crews have been working in challenging conditions to restore power, however repairs have been severely hampered by the continued ferocious winds, fallen trees and heavy rain preventing safe access ... to complete repairs in many locations," an Essential Energy spokeswoman said.
Extra crews have been brought in to assist with repairs, but the energy provider has warned customers who remained without power by nightfall would be without it overnight.
The State Emergency Service responded to more than 200 calls for help in the 24 hours to 2pm on Saturday with the agency preparing for more as conditions worsened through the evening.
Two adults and an infant had to be rescued from rising floodwaters in Cougal, west of Tweed Heads, while there was another rescue in nearby Uki as a car towing a vehicle got stuck on a causeway.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds with gusts of up to 90km/h tipped for the north coast and Border Ranges for much of the afternoon.
The SES issued a Flood Watch and Act for Thora, Upper Thora and Darkwood over a minor to moderate flood warning for the Bellinger River, with communities there told to prepare to isolate.
"Make sure you have essential supplies prepared to last for at least three to five days, including food, drinking water, medications, pet food, and animal feed," an alert from the agency said.
Low-lying areas in Glenreagh faced minor flooding from the Orana River while towns including Nimbin, The Channon, Jiggi, Goolmangar and Terania Creek also faced minor flooding from the Wilsons River.
Locals were well prepared, having experienced flooding conditions previously and it was good to see a low number of rescues, an SES spokesman told AAP.
The majority of calls for help so far related to fallen trees or leaky roofs.
Extra crews were on standby with the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers currently under flood watch.
A coastal hazard warning for damaging surf also applied to the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast, from Tweed Heads to Nambucca Heads.
That included popular holiday spots such as Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Ballina.
A severe weather warning was also in place for parts of Queensland's southeast coast and the Darling Downs and Granite Belt
Beaches on the Gold Coast were closed, with a hazard warning for damaging surf on Saturday and Sunday and wind gusts of 90km.
Locations likely to be affected included Coolangatta, Moreton Island, North Stradbroke Island and Springbrook.
