It was a restless sleep for some residents with Moruya's river banks predicted to bust and flood the eastern CBD overnight and the shire pummeled with more rain.
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The evacuation order followed a weekend of wild weather along the South Coast, and all eyes were on river levels which rapidly rose throughout Sunday afternoon, August 9.
At midday on Sunday, water began to cross Kiora Bridge, a few kilometres west of Moruya CBD. Late afternoon, the water had risen to 3.5 metres and the bridge was photographed at 1am at 3.8 metres.
Moruya's Town Wharf was a popular spot for onlookers. Water had risen well above the boat ramp and wharf by Sunday afternoon.
Further along the foreshore of Riverside Park, the South Coast Seaplanes dock was another spectacle, submerged by the rising river.
By Sunday evening, SES issued warnings that the eastern CBD of Moruya could go under during high tide at about 1am.
When floodwater enters the town, Moruya SES said road access, sewerage lines and power to the area could be lost.
Residents were ordered to evacuate.
However, the overnight river levels peaked lower than expected.
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded the Moruya River at Moruya Bridge had peaked at 2.10 metres around 1am on Monday with minor flooding.
The river level fell below the minor flood level (2.0 metres) at 3am.
In Batemans Bay, a yacht broke its moorings and was washed up at Surfside on the northern bank of the Clyde River on Monday.
READ MORE: The great flood at Moruya, 1925
