Janie - one of Australia's greatest poems My Country by Dorothea Mackellar talks about "drought & flooding rains". Floods are regular/normal in many areas of Australia & with the extra population affect more people today.

In 1852 the young township of Gunagai was wiped out in a flood that reached to the top floor of the mill (see clicky I created yesterday for a pic of the mill which still has damage in it's upper stories from tree trunks in the wild floodwaters.) So the survivors moved the town uphill & the floorplain was only ever used for grazing, see Yarri of Wiradjuri, A Song & Verse Cycle by John Warner about the 1852 floods for more details.

Today we can't move towns or cities, & instant communications means news travels fast (& far)

Australia, Flood Timeline 21st century Should Australia save its rivers or its farmers?

Australia's floods The drought ends, the shouting starts

Annual Australian Climate Statement 2011 - third-wettest year on record

Bureau of Meteorology weather overview 2010 -third-wettest year on record.

ps. both 2010 & 2011 reports say 3rd wettest year!

Annual Australian Climate Statement 2009