Oxley police fine driver rescued from floodwaters on Rangari Road after ignoring road closed signs in Narrabri area

Oxley police said the man, aged 22, ignored a road closed sign on Rangari Road near Boggabri.

The man - who is from the North Coast - was forced to climb on the roof of his car, after it went under floodwaters about 12.30am on Tuesday.

Oxley Inspector Robert Dunn told the Leader State Emergency Service (SES) teams from Boggabri and Gunnedah were deployed but flooded roads made the rescue effort even more difficult to get to.

"We received a triple zero call for a man in trouble after he became caught in floodwaters and he was now on the roof of his vehicle and the water was rising," he said.

"The SES had to rescue him on their archangel water vessel.

"He was rescued, and police returned him to Narrabri in a very damp and cold condition."

Inspector Dunn said the man was issued a ticket for not obeying a road closed sign.

"All too often we are coming to the aid of people who blatantly ignore roads closed signs," he said.

"These rescuers are part of a volunteer agency, and we are pulling them out of bed to carry out these tasks for people who should know better."

On Monday afternoon, police were dismayed after they had to move several teenagers away from the floodwaters in Narrabri.

Inspector Dunn said officers were patrolling the town when they spotted at least half-a-dozen teens on the low level bridge on Violet Street and it could have ended in a tragedy as the water rose.

"Police observed a number of people crossing one side of the floodwater to another," he said.

"It was incredibly dangerous because you had fast flowing waters, debris banking up, and you don't know what's below your feet.

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"They're not Jesus Christ but there was a risk they could of joined him if they were knocked over, so police intervened and turned them around."

The SES confirmed more than 30 flood rescues have now been carried out across the region since the floods took hold last week, with several rescues in Tamworth, Gunnedah, Manilla and Wee Waa.

A 25-year-old international woman will be given a ticket after she ignored road closed warnings and drove straight into a flooded causeway on Turrawan Road at Narrabri.

Police said the water was quickly rising when her car was inundated with water and stopped working.

"We were called after she had driven through a road closed sign and had gone through one water crossing, and then proceeded into another water crossing," Inspector Dunn said.

"The VRA [Volunteer Rescue Association] had to get their high clearance truck and SES volunteers assisted her into the truck and brought out.

"Incredibly dangerous, and we continue to remind drivers to forget it if it's flooded."

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