GOVERNOR-GENERAL Quentin Bryce has visited the NSW Clarence Valley to comfort residents who lost all their possessions to record floods.
At a barbecue for the Clarence-Nambucca State Emergency Service, Ms Bryce met Britteny Desvaux and Aaron Godwin, and Mr Godwin's children Caleb, 10, and Trinesha, 5, who slept in their car for three nights with their pet dog before the Salvation Army found them emergency accommodation.
"You should be very proud of yourselves for how you have coped," Ms Bryce said before offering Ms Desvaux a hug on Friday.
"It's easy for me to stand here and say I know how you feel, but in times of hardship we often find the resources to cope within ourselves."
Ms Desvaux, who is 24 weeks pregnant, said her house was still isolated but the landlord had taken a boat over to have a look.
"We've pretty much lost everything," she told AAP.
"It means a lot to have met the governor-general because it shows that someone cares and that there's support out there."
Earlier, Ms Bryce visited Copmanhurst Public School and spoke with Linda Miles, who has five children and whose house was submerged to the roof line.
Ms Miles said the water was ankle deep at 2am on Tuesday morning, then waist deep by 2.30am.
"It just came up so quickly," she said.
Ms Miles and her family and dogs are staying with friends. Her insurer has told her not to enter the house until they can send an assessor - but they don't know how long that will be.
"I don't think it's properly hit me yet. It probably will when I have to do the clean-up," she said.
"We're wearing other people's clothes because we've lost everything.
"The kids were upset because they've lost their Christmas presents, but I said to them, 'It's just things, we're all okay and that's the main thing.'"
Copmanhurst school principal Andrew Patterson said it was a "big thrill" to have the governor-general visit the 65-pupil school.
"The few kids who were able to make it through to the first day of school yesterday learned a bit about who she is and what her role is," Mr Patterson said.
At the SES barbecue, Ms Bryce paid tribute to the spirit and hard work of volunteers, some of whom have been working 24-hour shifts over the past week.
"I know many people have been working so hard to help others who have lost much and need support," she said.
"The generosity of spirit shines through in these times of hardship and we can all say thank you that no lives were lost and people are safe."
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