An estimated 10,000 properties were hit by floods in the Hunter and mid-north coast regions of NSW after a month's worth of rain fell in a matter of days.
About 12,000 residents across multiple towns were still stranded as of early Monday, and crews have carried out more than 770 rescues amid the flood crisis that has led to five deaths.
Rescuers have faced challenging conditions, including a two-hour paddle to reach two people and their working dogs who were stranded for three days on a remote farm near Kempsey.
Insurers have received more than 3500 claims so far, 80 per cent of which are personal property claims.
"There's a big clean-up that has to happen, and I do know what that is like," said NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin, who lives in Lismore which suffered devastating flooding in 2022.
"I know everyone wants it today, it just takes time," she told ABC Radio.
Some 60 schools will remain closed on Monday across the impacted regions, as well as 173 early childhood education and care services and seven TAFE NSW campuses. Learning from home resources will be made available.
To the south at Port Macquarie, Mayor Adam Roberts said there was "quiet and cautious optimism" as rain cleared and waters receded, although it was hard to tell how many homes and businesses had been impacted.
"We will rebuild as quickly as possible and there is a sense of pride that we do come together in times of need as a community," he told AAP.
Flood-affected residents are being asked to be patient and await advice from the SES before inspecting their properties, with teams undertaking rapid assessments and coordinating clean-ups.
Additional support teams have arrived from interstate and New Zealand to relieve crews exhausted from working multiple days and nights, said SES commissioner Mike Wassing, who warned "we are only now starting to see the true scale of the devastation" as waters recede.
Meanwhile, communities could face a new weather threat in the coming days.
A cold front with strong winds of 60-80km/h due on Monday and Tuesday could hamper recovery efforts, cause damage and bring down trees, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
Commonwealth and state government recovery assistance grants are expected to begin soon.
The NSW government will open recovery centres in flood-impacted areas from Tuesday, offering a range of support services to affected residents.
