Waterfalls that were claimed by overgrowth have been revealed to surprised Queenslanders who didn't know they were even there.
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Flood warnings issued across the state after heavy rainfall that swept away cars, flooded roads and caused rivers to swell remain in place.
Rainfall eased on Friday but 15 schools and 14 child centres were still closed.
As the waters subside, one southeast Queensland mayor is delivering good news for the first time in months.
Scenic Rim has been crippled by drought and ravaged by bushfires.
But long-forgotten waterfalls have now been revealed after bushfires stripped away the overgrowth, Mayor Greg Christensen said.
"It's looking magical," Cr Christensen told AAP.
"(The bushfires) burnt areas back and exposed waterfalls that people didn't realise existed."
Cr Christensen says the rains have not yet broken the drought, but left the area in good stead.
"I went out visiting local farmers yesterday and I saw them smiling for the first time in two years," he said.
"We haven't had erosion, creeks have been flushed out and farms and aquifers have been replenished."
Businesses and households across the southeast corner have been cleaning up after a downpour that lasted days.
Widespread heavy falls eased on Friday but a major flood warnings remains in place for the Logan River, the Georgina River and lower Condamine River as well as alerts throughout the state.
The Gold Coast has recorded its highest ever monthly rainfall total with a whopping 566mm falling in the first two weeks of the month. The previous monthly record was in December 2010 with 490mm.
Even more rain has fallen at Coolangatta in the city's south with about 627mm so far this month, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
The monthly record for Coolangatta is 645mm set in April 1988.
Police are still searching for Yang Chen, 26, who disappeared in the Gold Coast hinterland while walking with a man near Gorge Falls in the Tallebudgera Valley.
Rainfall of up to 5-15mm is expected over the weekend, the BOM says, with showers and thunderstorms forecast across the far north and Cape York from early next week.
A hazardous swell will continue into Friday, but ease over the weekend as ex-Tropical Cyclone Uesi tracks south. Gold Coast beaches will remain closed.
Australian Associated Press
