Queensland family rescued moments before home washed away

A Gold Coast family is lucky to be alive after they were rescued from their roof just moments before the home was swept away by raging floodwaters.

Video showed the Gallo family's home knocking down trees as it was lifted off its foundations and swept away on Saturday morning.

Helen Gallo and her two young children were at the home when they felt it begin to move in the torrent.

"All of a sudden I've turned around and the garage has started sinking," Ms Gallo told 9NEWS.

"It's actually fallen underneath me and these two little ones have just grabbed my arms and I've somehow just pulled myself back up."

The family was able to scramble onto the roof and frantically signal to SES workers for help.

The young family were ushered into a boat along with another man and two dogs just minutes before the property was washed away. 

"They were just really calm," Logan City SES rescuer Jim Ferguson said.

"I think they were relieved to see me stick my head up over the side of the house."

Neighbours also played their part to help the family, who were uninsured, to safety.

"I climbed over the balcony hands and knees along the awning, stood up and made my first real contact with the parent and the two kids," a neighbour who directed rescue crews to the home told reporters.

Lismore residents in northern New South Wales are preparing to return to their homes as floodwaters begin to recede.

It comes after about 15,000 properties were isolated by floodwater across New South Wales and almost 30,000 were subject to evacuation orders.