Queenslanders are being urged to brace for a fast-moving tropical low that will dump up to 500mm of rain along the coast in just a few days.
The tropical low was just over 1000km northeast of Bundaberg on Wednesday and is forecast to develop into a category one tropical cyclone as it crosses the coast near Gladstone in the early hours of Friday.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the most important message was that residents needed to get ready now.
"We expect between 200 and 500mm of rain. The areas that will be affected will be between St Lawrence and northern NSW," she said.
"There could be flash flooding in isolated areas and, of course, there will be some beach erosion."
The State Disaster Co-ordination Group met on Wednesday and the Queensland disaster management cabinet committee will meet at 9am on Thursday.
The Gladstone Regional Council has also implemented disaster management measures.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the system was fast-moving but emergency services were ready.
"The ground is not saturated as it has been in the past and the rain hasn't been ongoing for a number of weeks," she said.
"In that sense, we are in a fortunate situation."
The state has more than 200 swift water rescue technicians who had been strategically pre-positioned along the coast, she said.
"Unfortunately, Queensland Fire actually rescues more people from flooded waters every year than what they do from house fires," she said.
"So please remember that message. Be very, very sensible as you go about your business in the next couple of days."
Southeast Queensland's Wivenhoe Dam is at 77 per cent capacity, while Somerset is at 99.8 per cent and North Pine sits at 67.2 per cent.
But operator Seqwater has not scheduled any releases for the week because the flood storage compartments of both Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams are available.
"We estimate that between 50 and 100mm of rain is needed to saturate the ground before run-off into our dams commences," chief executive officer Peter Dennis said.
"Once run-off begins, further rainfall - in excess of 60mm for Wivenhoe Dam, and in excess of 150mm for North Pine Dam - would need to occur before a flood water release from these gated dams would be required."
Gladstone Mayor Gail Sellers, who has met with the local disaster management group, is hopeful the heavy rain won't cause major flooding like that seen during Cyclone Oswald in 2013.
"Fingers crossed," she told AAP.
"We can cope very well because Gladstone is very hilly. But with the wind, the high tides and the heavy rainfall we'll have problems in a few areas."
Cr Sellers said up to 500mm was predicted to hit the city from Thursday night and some locals had already begun sandbagging.
A decision on opening emergency shelters is expected to be made on Thursday.
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