Queensland's extreme weather is playing havoc with Victoria, with much of the southern state on alert as the remnants of tropical cyclones cause heavy rainfall and flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) is predicting widespread rain in Victoria over the weekend, including a flood watch for the greater Melbourne catchments of Werribee, Maribyrnong, Yarra, Dandenong and Bunyip.
Parts of the township of Halls Gap, in the state's central west, on Friday were issued an emergency evacuation order due to possible flash flooding and land slips.
Deputy director of operations at the State Emergency Service (SES) Tim Wiebusch said that while authorities issued weekend flood warnings on Thursday, there was now an even greater likelihood the extreme weather would occur.
"Our concerns at this point in time is that heavy rainfall will go across many of our catchments across the state and for flash flooding," Mr Wiebusch said.
The extreme weather has been blamed on the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Anthony moving over northern Victoria and southern NSW on Thursday.
Moisture from Cyclone Yasi was also expected to impact on Victoria late Friday, resulting in widespread rain. BoM forecaster Claire Yeo said much of Victoria had already experienced high rainfall on Friday, with more to come.
"Higher totals (are) being forecast for central and northeast ranges and severe thunderstorm activity," Ms Yeo said.
"Any severe thunderstorm activity is also likely to see damaging wind gusts and large hail is a possibility."
She said that on Saturday the BoM expected widespread rainfall totals of 50mm to 100mm through much of Victoria. In the northeast, falls of 150mm to 200mm are expected.
"With such heavy rainfall expected on already saturated catchments so soon after the January flood event, riverine flooding is also forecast again," Ms Yeo said.
The bureau has issued flood warnings for the Wimmera, Loddon, Avoca and Campaspe catchments, which have already been impacted by floods in recent weeks.
Communities named as being at risk of flooding include Carisbrook, Clunes, Ballarat, Halls Gap and Maryborough.
The bureau has also issued minor to moderate rural flood warnings for Swan Hill, the Murray River town which has recently emerged from the peak of floodwaters relatively unscathed.
An SES spokeswoman said floodwaters were slowly starting to recede at Swan Hill on Friday after reaching a peak on Wednesday night.
Levees around the town at Lake Boga and Pental Island have also held up, with no reports of houses flooded in these communities.
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