Forster Pacific Palms SES unit commander Greg Dodd said his unit received its first call for assistance from Pacific Palms at 11:30am and units from Camden Haven, Taree and Nabiac had to be called in to lend a hand as SES members worked through the day and into the night to try to prevent homes from flooding.

"Just the volume of water in that one area - I've never seen it," Mr Dodd said.

Pacific Palms Recreation Club secretary manager Di Ellis echoed Mr Dodd's sentiments, saying she had never seen so much rain fall at once.

"Everyone I've spoken to has never seen anything like this," she said.

"There were paddocks flooded up to road level that I've never seen flooded."

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Ms Ellis said staff had been left to clean up after the back courtyard flooded and water came in through one of the entrances to the club, soaking the carpet.

"We had indoor rain as well," she said.

"It was coming through the cornices and the light fixtures."

Ms Ellis said thankfully no major damage was incurred.

The Lakes Way had to be closed at several places as a result of the flooding and Boomerang Drive was closed near the Pacific Palms Oasis Caravan Park, with major damage rumoured to have occurred there.

There were also reports of road closures around Blueys Beach and Tarbuck Bay.

"We actually had a lot of people coming in from about 4pm because they couldn't get home," Ms Ellis said.

According to livetraffic.com at the time of writing, there are changed traffic conditions still in place at several points along The Lakes Way and Boomerang Drive, but no roads are listed as closed.

Mr Dodd said the SES had some advance warning of the rain but didn't expect so much of it.

"They only expected it to come up below Bulahdelah," he said.

In fact, the downpour that struck Pacific Palms was a largely isolated event for the area, with most other parts of the Manning-Great Lakes receiving less than 10mm.

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Bungwahl received 93mm, while flooding was also experienced at Tea Gardens, Newcastle and the Central Coast.

With a La Nina in place, Mr Dodd believed it was going to be a busy season ahead for the SES.

"I think we're going to get a heap more out of this," he said.

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