A regional town is staying strong after a "torrid" three days, as the scale of damage caused by deadly flooding continues to emerge.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Chris Minns planned to visit hard-hit Taree on Friday morning, after days of intense rain killed four people and isolated thousands across the NSW mid-north coast.
But the pair's attempt to meet affected locals was aborted because of flooding, further highlighting the town's isolation as it endures its second major flood in four years.
"Conditions in Taree are very tough," Mr Minns said from Maitland.
"We've heard word from local MPs and businesses that they've had a torrid three days, incredibly difficult circumstances.
"We know it will take a long time to get that community back up on its feet ... as (12.30pm), local roads are still cut off to Taree."
A fourth death from the record-breaking floods was confirmed on Friday after a man in his late 70s and his car appeared to be swept off a causeway at Nana Glen near Coffs Harbour in NSW.
It's the third death of a driver since the mid-north coast was inundated with heavy rainfall and rapidly rising floodwaters on Tuesday.
A man also died at a flooded home near Taree, a driver west of Port Macquarie and a 60-year-old woman near Coffs Harbour.
There are grave fears for a man missing in Nymboida and police have not ruled out floods as a factor in the disappearance of a man in Bellingen.
But hundreds of people would be dead without SES volunteers, the premier said.
"We're in deep, deep gratitude to those people," Mr Minns said.
The prime minister announced personal hardship assistance grants of $180 per person or $900 for a family would roll out in coming days.
Those unable to work in the hardest-hit areas will be able access a disaster recovery allowance from Monday afternoon.
"Tragically, we're seeing more extreme weather events. They're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said.
There had been more than 675 flood rescues, including 177 in the 24 hours to 5am on Friday, the SES said.
But with the rate of flood rescue requests decreasing, the SES is focusing on getting supplies to the 50,000 people still isolated by floodwaters.
Locals in Port Macquarie also took things into their own hands, boating food to people in the city's northern suburbs.
"There have been some communities that have been cut off for quite some time, where vehicles can't get in," NSW SES deputy commissioner Damien Johnson said.
The slow-moving trough that dumped months of rain over the mid-north coast has shifted south, bringing heavy falls to the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Sydney and Southern Highlands.
That will deliver dry conditions in the flood-ridden areas but residents are not out of the woods yet.
"There are waters still moving quite quickly through the river systems, a lot of debris around so it's quite dangerous," Bureau of Meteorology's Jane Golding said.
Wind is also expected to pick up on Monday and Tuesday, potentially uprooting trees and buildings from sodden soil.
Police also warned drivers in metropolitan Sydney to exercise caution in wet weather after two deaths overnight - including a 95-year-old hit by a car in Liverpool.
Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support.
People who want to donate items such as clothes, food or money to those affected can do so via GIVIT, a non-profit organisation partnered with the government to support communities impacted by flooding.