Balonne Shire Mayor Donna Stewart believes frantic efforts to shore up a levee and a revised, lower flood peak will save the Queensland town of St George.
Balonne Shire Mayor Donna Stewart believes frantic efforts to shore up a levee and a revised, lower flood peak will save the town.
But a significant flood is still expected, with the Balonne River now at its highest level on record, above the 13.4 metres set in March 2010.
'We have just about completed the levee and that will hold water out of the major part of the town at 14.7 metres,' Ms Stewart told the ABC on Friday.
'I'm confident we have saved the major part of St George.'
Earlier the Bureau of Meteorology said fears of a 15-metre peak in the Balonne River at St George had dissipated.
Bureau hydrologist Chris Leahy told AAP the levee bank at St George was 14.5m and that should hold back the dirty tide.
'It's not out of the question it'll go above the 14.5 level but it's more likely not to.'
Authorities have enacted a mandatory evacuation of St George, ahead of the peak expected on Tuesday.
Police Minister Neil Roberts said 2500 of the 3000 residents had left.
More than 30 homes had already been inundated in St George and that was expected to rise, he said.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said several hundred St George residents had refused to heed the mandatory evacuation order.
'We're disappointed but we're not surprised,' he said.
He warned them that emergency crews would not risk their own lives to rescue them at the 11th hour and said there was still time to board emergency evacuation flights or try to get out by road.
'We can't and won't physically force people, drag people out of their homes. That's not viable or practical,' Mr Atkinson said.
Ms Stewart said those who had decided to stay had done so for good reason and many were in part of the town that was never going to flood, even at 15m.
'A lot are emergency workers, council workers and the media too,' she told AAP.
'They're not being pig-headed; they knew what they were doing.'
At flood-hit Mitchell and Roma, the scale of the damage is slowly emerging.
Mr Roberts said 280 or more homes in Mitchell had water above the floorboards. The number was over 400 in Roma.
'That's very significant damage and a very significant dislocation for those individuals,' he told reporters on Monday.
Mr Roberts said everything possible will be done to ensure St George, Roma and Mitchell evacuees are cared for as they prepare for the enormous clean-up and recovery task ahead.
He said Charleville residents may be able to return home from Monday, after the levee that protects the town held, but water levels would remain high for the next couple of days.
Mr Atkinson said planning efforts were now focused on other towns facing emerging flood threats, including Dirranbandi and Cunnamulla.
Some residents began walking into Mitchell on Monday to see what the floodwaters had done to their homes.
The town's main access bridge has been severely damaged and authorities are undertaking an urgent assessment of the structure.
