Clean-up begins for some New South Wales residents

Emergency services are letting some NSW residents return to their flood-ravaged homes during daylight hours under escort to assess the damage and start cleaning up.

But evacuation orders remain in place for many victims of the floods, which federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says have drawn a response that shows "Australia at its best".

More than 1000 people remain evacuated from Darlington Point, in the Riverina region, after the Murrumbidgee River peaked at 7.8 metres on Monday morning.

"This is the biggest flood since 1974, where it peaked at 7.9m, so it's come just under that," a State Emergency Service spokeswoman told AAP.

She said the river had started to fall, but the SES would make sure the community was safe before sounding the all-clear. Read More