“This morning as I look across not only the capital city, but three-quarters of my state, we are facing a reconstruction effort of post-war proportions.”

These were the emotional words of Queensland Premier Anna Bligh yesterday as she warned that the reconstruction effort in the flood-stricken state could take years.

The swelling of the Brisbane River has so far claimed dozens of lives, with many more people reported missing.

More than 127,000 homes are without power, about 4,000 people are living in evacuation centres after they were forced to flee their homes and the cost of the clean-up is expected to be more than £3.2bn.

Among those affected are several former Swindon families who are struggling to come to terms with the worst floods the country has seen since 1974.

Tom Crockett, 33, who left Tockenham, near Wootton Bassett, for Australia four years ago on a working holiday and decided to stay, lives in Toowoomba, the town which was hit by flash floods on Monday.

He was stuck at work for several hours as the floods whisked away cars, destroyed homes and claimed lives.

“Everywhere around me was flooded – we watched it all happening from work and it happened so quickly,” he said.

“The footage shown on the news at home was taken outside where I work, so I rang home to make sure my mum knew I was safe, I knew she would be worried.

“I didn’t feel frightened because I didn’t expect it to get as bad as it did. We watched the water rise up then once the river came over the top everything was just destroyed.

“The only thing we could do was watch it all happening, it was really quite amazing.

“One of my good friends lost his mum and brother in the floods, it’s terrible.”

Life is beginning to return to normal in Toowoomba, but down in the Lockyer Valley, the grim job of searching for those missing, feared dead, is only just beginning.

“Everybody is sticking together and trying not to let it get them down,” said Tom. “But the atmosphere is very solemn and it is only beginning to hit home now just how bad it has been.

“The army have arrived and everybody is beginning the search for bodies, we can’t get down there because the roads are all blocked by the police.

“Some places have been left more devastated than others.

“Some of the roads have been completely wiped out and the town centre was hit badly, the shops are still counting the costs.

“The weather has been good today but now we have been issued with a cyclone warning in two weeks’ time which will make matters worse.

“Normally, it is bone dry in Toowoomba at this time of year, we are usually enjoying 35 degree heat, sunshine with very little rain but we have had rain constantly for the past two months.

“I still love it here though, it is home for me and I would never go back to the UK.”