One metre.
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That was all that seperated Michelle Bryant's home from the floodwaters that inundated Singleton last Wednesday morning when the Hunter River rose to the major flood level of 13 metres.
"It just surrounded us," the Combo Lane resident said.
"The last flood, in November, peaked at 12.3 metres. We could still get out on tractors across the paddocks. But this time, it just kept coming. In the early hours of Wednesday morning it was at 12.5m. This one peaked here at 13.40m.
"This was our biggest flood yet. It got close, only a metre off the corner of the house and maybe two, three metres from the top of the driveway, but it didn't reach the house. We were lucky."
Ms Bryant said last week's flooding was the worst she had seen in the 13 years she, partner Ty Merrick and son Jacob Merrick have lived on their Combo Lane property.
The river had taken a shortcut across the low-lying paddocks, surrounding the family's home and isolating them for three days - between Wednesday and Friday.
It came as the New England Highway between Queen Street, which Combo Lane comes off, and White Avenue, near Singleton Heights, was flooded with water and closed between Wednesday and Thursday.
But the Bryant-Merrick family we were prepared for the flooding potential.
Already keeping an eye on the severe weather that began plaguing the Hunter at the beginning of March, the family was alerted by the NSW State Emergency Service on Tuesday, March 8 that the river could flood and to prepare.
"We ducked into town for supplies - fresh food and water that could last at least a week - late Tuesday afternoon," Ms Bryant said.
"We moved our machinery to higher ground, put everything up high. We make markers every flood so we know at what stage we need to move things to higher ground, when to go to the shops.
"By Wednesday morning the water reached 12.5m and just kept coming. It got closer to the house than it has before. I started to panic a bit but all you could really do is just watch it and hope for the best.
"It was scary for all of us, especially because we didn't know how high it was going to get because we've never had it this high before."
Not only was Ms Bryant stunned by the amount of water that surrounded her house, but the force of it.
So strong was the water that it tore up sections of the road.
"The tar is all over our paddocks," Ms Bryant said, adding that she had seen barrels, bins, big logs and a few fences stream past her property on the current.
She was thankful not to see any dead livestock, and rescued a blue tongue lizard from a fence post.
Jacob, aged 13, had used the water to realise another life essential - having fun.
He took out his kayak and also flew his drone over the water to showcase the extent of the flooding.
Ms Bryant said the family had received plenty of support while isolated.
"The SES have been amazing," Ms Bryan said. "Simon Merrick [the Central Hunter Commander for the SES in Singleton] rang me morning and afternoon. He said 'we can get to you if you need anything'. They've been fantastic, even to let us know how much the river has dropped.
"They've been really amazing, which is really great to have because without them you're floating alone.
"We've also had really great support from our neighbours."
Singleton saw a major flood peak of 13.16 metres about 7pm on Wednesday.
River levels fell below the moderate flood level (11.50m) early on Friday morning.
