The sun has emerged but the flood risk remains with waters receding slowly over the coming days.
Residents in some flood-hit areas previously subject to evacuation orders have been told they can begin returning to their homes.
The death toll in NSW rose to nine on Wednesday when police found the body of a man believed to be a delivery driver who had been missing since Tuesday.
There is finally a reprieve from the rain that has battered the state for weeks but also a strong wind warning for the coast from Byron Bay to Eden.
The Bureau of Meteorology says significant flooding will continue in a number of communities along the Hawkesbury and Nepean River catchment for at least another 24 hours.
State Emergency Services Commissioner Carlene York says preparations are under way to transition to the recovery phase of the operation.
The unprecedented flooding crisis involved more than SES 1600 volunteers on the ground at the peak of the event.
There are still 38 evacuation orders affecting 9000 people as well as 24 evacuation warnings affecting 20,000 across most of the coast.
"Regretfully the rains have started to come from Queensland and western NSW is now going back into flood," Ms York told ABC radio on Thursday.
She warned people should remain vigilant about risks as many roads remain flooded, while others are badly damaged with potholes.
"Thinking that you can get through floodwaters because you've got a larger vehicle ... is a dangerous decision," she said.
The Hawkesbury Nepean Valley remains of concern after river levels at Windsor peaked on Wednesday morning with flood levels hitting 13.8 metres - nearly one metre above those experienced a year ago and the highest since 1978.
The main flood peak in the Hawkesbury is now downstream of Wisemans Ferry. River levels at North Richmond and Windsor are expected to remain above major levels for the remainder of the week.
Minor flooding continues at Penrith where the Nepean River peaked on Tuesday afternoon at 7.9 metres.
The Hunter remains badly affected with major flooding at Singleton and a number of areas cut off by floodwaters with the SES still dropping supplies to communities.
The South Coast also remains of concern, with thunderstorms forecast on Thursday, after flooding caused landslides around Kiama.
The cleanup continues in the Northern Rivers region, with more ADF personnel arriving and Prime Minister Scott Morrison visiting on Wednesday.
Ms York also visited SES volunteers on Wednesday in the communities of Lismore and Ballina which were inundated by floodwaters at the beginning of the crisis.
"They are tired," she said.
However, the gratitude of the community "just gives them that boost to just keep going until this event is over".
Quite a number have also lost their homes.
"One of the volunteers ... has been helping the community and said 'sorry I have to go home and hose my house out now'," Ms York said.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese will head to northern NSW on Thursday.
Lismore councillor Elly Bird told AAP the town needs structural engineers to assess thousands of flood-damaged homes and buildings.
"We're going to be in this for many years to come, we need significant community funding to flow," she said.
24°C