photos from across the nsw coast show the devastation caused by the worst storm to smash the area in ten years .
in the hunter region of new south wales a staggering 312 mm of rain fell in 24 hours .
in dramatic scenes , four houses in the town of dungog were washed away in the raging floodwaters .
animals have been stranded by the floods with one horse rescued from drowning by a woman in a tin boat .
beaches including bondi have been forced to close due to high winds .
but surfers have braved the huge tidal surge despite grave warnings from authorities .