An 82-year-old former Masterton resident has been located by Interpol after his family feared he was lost in the Queensland floods.

A Northland man who had been repairing Queensland roads damaged in floods in 2010 and 2011 has been stranded in Bundaberg as a result of ex-cyclone Oswald.

Residents are being ordered to evacuate and 23,000 homes are without power as widespread flooding and high winds batter Queensland.

While firefighters yesterday continued to battle huge blazes in Victoria, floods swept through Queensland, shutting down roads, railways and airports as former cyclone Oswald inundated coastal regions.

Queensland police are praising the efforts of nine New Zealand builders who lifted a ute off a seriously injured man after his vehicle rolled on the Warrego Highway on Sunday.

Liam Dann finds a day at the Gold Coast Sevens perfect for father-son bonding.

Jennifer Ennion sets her sights on D'Aguilar National Park, in south-east Queensland, home to more than 800 plant species and 200 species of native animals.

Known widely as the Garden City for its 150 public gardens and parks, Toowoomba's buildings and gardens have been restored and visitors are returning after the flood of January 2011.

Paul Rush finds that dining in a Queensland mountain retreat with an avian symphony hits the high note.