Threat eases for NSW firefighters The NSW Rural Fire Service says a grass fire burning near Campbelltown in Sydney's south-west has been contained and has been downgraded to an advice warning.

Authorities had evacuated several homes and issued an emergency alert about the fire which burning near Campbelltown Road, Warrumbungle Place, Carnarvon Road, Kosciusko Place, Morar Place, Dunkeld Place and Central Park Drive.

About 40 hectares have been burnt and the fire was heading towards the M5.

Laura Ryan from the Rural Fire Service said crews got on top of the fire quickly.

"We did have fears for a number of properties in that area, but some quick work by firefighters supported by a water bombing helicopter has got that fire fully contained," she said.

"The fire is now out, firefighters are now on the scene mopping up the last remnants of that fire, and its officially listed as advice status."

Fire continues to burn near Coonabarabran The Rural Fire Service says rough terrain is making it difficult to establish containment lines around a large bushfire burning near Coonabarabran.

The blaze has destroyed 53 homes and burnt more than 55 thousand hectares since it started almost two weeks ago.

Spokesman Peter Jones says firefighters will again focus their efforts on the south western part of the fire where there was a flare up yesterday.

Meanwhile, north of the border, that other perennial threat in Australia, flooding is causing problems - Live: Cyclone Oswald brings flood chaos to Queensland The system has already wreaked havoc further north and Brisbane's dams are being drawn down in anticipation of huge rainfall totals this weekend.

Emergency crews have rescued several people from floodwaters across the state and are expecting a hectic weekend, with rainfalls of more than 400mm predicted for some areas, along with damaging winds of around 90kph.

This page is a blog & has pictures at top of page & all thru the site.

And as Joybell mentioned somewhere else, her part of Oz has been in drought for quite some time.

But that's Australia for you.

My Country by Dorothea Mackellar (1885 - 1968)

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!