Heavy rains falling on Australia’s flooded north-east could have a "dramatic" impact, officials warned Sunday, stretching already swollen rivers and creeks to their limit across the devastated region.

The premier of Queensland has announced that a flood recovery taskforce will be set up to tackle the unprecedented natural disaster that is expected to cost the state more than $5bn (£3.2bn). The announcement came as several towns across the state braced to be inundated with water as several river systems reached their peak.

Australian residents fled their homes and sandbagged properties Tuesday as a major town was threatened by a worsening flood disaster which unleashed a plague of snakes and crocodiles.

Residents of the city of Rockhampton, in the Australian state of Queensland, face a nervous wait as floodwaters continue to rise.

Rising waters have knocked out roads and several highways in northeastern Australia, trapping motorists, marooning entire towns and driving thousands from their homes as flooding stretched into its second week on Saturday. More than 200,000 people have been affected so far by the floods, local news media reported.

THOUSANDS of Queenslanders have been forced to see in the New Year without a home as the state battles its worst flood in a century.

The flooding in the Australian state of Queensland will cost "hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars," Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Friday as she toured the devastation.

A amazing story of man who beat the odds with a handicap.

Being so far from the world’s major Western population centers, Australia and New Zealand have had to do some original, not to say, extreme things to draw visitors. One of their recent innovations to the world’s travel experience is bridge climbing. I think this began in Australia; certainly that’s where it’s most developed. Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane all give you the opportunity to view the city from the top of their iconic bridges. In the case of Brisbane, the bridge is the Story Street Bridge.

This short story is based on the poem, Letter to a Trainee Accountant. It has been written to emulate the mood and feel of the poem.