But relentless rain over Tuesday night saw the situation escalate. The bureau said 279mm of rain had fallen at Lismore from 9am Tuesday to 6am Wednesday. In the town of Alstonville, 370mm had fallen.
There were seven evacuation orders current in northern NSW early on Wednesday, including for low-lying areas of Bellingen, Macksville, Kyogle, Coraki and Tumbulgum.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Highway has been cut between Wardell and Tintenbar, while the local MP, Justine Elliot, called for evacuation centres to be set up in Byron Bay and Ballina.
On Tuesday evening Lismore residents had been hopeful of avoiding a major flood after the SES cancelled the CBD evacuation order, and others for Mullumbimby and Billinudgel, about 5pm.
A Lismore roof tiler, Leonard Gray, spent Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning helping business owners move stock out of their shops.
But many locals were not convinced the weather system had passed when the evacuation order was lifted on Tuesday.
Evans, whose house was submerged totally submerged to the roof last month, says their presence helps reassure people.
Jan Praetz, who lives in the centre of Mullumbimby, could not sleep on Monday night as heavy rain lashed her roof.
