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The former Silverchair frontman is now sober and "the real Daniel Johns", his family told a judge who spared the musician jail time for drunk driving and crashing his car.

The singer faced Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to high-range drink driving in the NSW Hunter region at about 10.30pm on March 23.

Magistrate Ian Cheetham said the charge was serious but Johns' background and circumstances were exceptional in handing him a 10-month jail sentence to be served by way of intensive corrections order.

Since his meteoric rise to fame as a 14-year-old Johns has suffered from anorexia from his early 20s, complex PTSD, major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, personality disorder, and severe and chronic pain associated with reactive arthritis.

The court was told the release of his new album FutureNever had triggered a decline in Johns' mental health before the crash.

"While in rehab his album hit number one but what needs to hit number one is his mental health," his lawyer Bryan Wrench said.

Some of Johns' mental health issues stem from the physical and emotional abuse he suffered at school, threats of homophobia and stalking since unwanted fame.

He has been vilified in the media including in an article that purported Johns was visiting a brothel while out one night, completely untrue and the subject of a successful defamation suit, the court was told.

Since his discharge from rehab in June he has remained a recluse in his home.

"If he ventures outside that's when he's worried about people attacking him," Mr Wrench said.

"It's his only safe spot."

Mr Wrench said his client was at pains to show the court how serious he had taken the charge, remaining abstinent from alcohol and not attending any in-person events after his album was released.

His mother and brother - who have never spoken publicly about Johns before - made statements to the court that despite how serious the crash was, they were glad it prompted the treatment he needed.

"He is the real Daniel Johns that they love and have grown up to love," Mr Wrench said.

Leading up to the incident his album release led to panic attacks, stomach ulcers, vomiting and other physical ailments.

His partner took him to a holiday retreat to "escape the stressors".

But Johns continued to self-medicate with a bottle of wine and a can of vodka he later told police, and "simply got in the car and simply drove to get away," Mr Wrench said.

He left with nothing on him and was eventually located via a tile tracker attached to his bag.

Johns had driven his grey SUV out of a service station on the Pacific Highway at North Arm Cove and headed north in rainy conditions before crossing onto the wrong side of the road and crashing into a van.

The van rolled and slid about 100 metres onto a nature strip while Johns' car also rolled several times, according to the facts of the case.

The van driver, 51, and his female passenger, 55, were treated at the scene and the woman was taken to hospital.

Johns was breathalysed and returned a blood alcohol level of 0.157, and voluntarily admitted himself into a rehabilitation facility after the accident.

The magistrate ordered Johns to continue his medical treatment and disqualified him from driving for seven months.

© AAP 2022

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ORIGIN DECIDERS IN BRISBANE

1983: Qld won 43-22

1987: Qld won 10-8

1991: Qld won 14-12

1994: NSW won 27-12

1999: Drawn 10-10 (Qld retained)

2001: Qld won 40-14 (Played at ANZ Stadium)

2005: NSW won 32-10

2011: Qld won 34-24

2012: Qld won 21-20

2015: Qld won 52-6

2017: Qld won 22-6

2020: Qld won 20-14

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The severe weather battering NSW is posing further flood risks as it moves north, while damage assessments begin in the areas surrounding Sydney that have been drenched in recent days.

Premier Dominic Perrottet says 85,000 people are now subject to evacuation orders and warnings.

The State Emergency Service has issued 108 evacuation orders and 56 evacuation warnings.

Overnight the Hunter and Central Coast were hit hard as communities were evacuated and a flood watch has been issued for the Mid-North Coast as the weather system shifts north.

The Hawkesbury-Nepean region in Sydney's west has once again been hit by major flooding this week.

SES Commissioner Carlene York says the agency had another busy night, conducting 21 flood rescues and urged people to follow warnings and orders to evacuate.

"People have taken a risk and remained in those houses and then found out the risk is too great, and we have to go in and save those families," Ms York

Eleven evacuation centres have opened to support people ordered to flee their homes, including new ones in the Hunter and Central Coast at Cessnock, Singleton and The Entrance.

Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke said some 523 people have already sought refuge in the centres.

The Hunter River is being monitored closely at Singleton, where major flooding is expected.

The Bureau of Meteorology's Jane Golding said the river could reach up to 13.8 metres and the risks will remain even once the weather clears.

"(We are) starting to see some some fine weather on the horizon, but (it will) take a bit of time for the floodwaters to come down," she said.

The Hunter has already seen flooding worse than in March this year and last year at Bulga and Wollombi on the Wollombi Brook, Ms Golding said.

The BOM is predicting an easing of the severe weather on Thursday as the low pressure system tracks out to sea.

"Friday could be quite a nice day," she said.

Overnight people in the Hunter community of Broke were cut off by rising floodwaters.

The SES has 1000 volunteers supporting isolated communities, and has requested assistance from other states, expected to arrive on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said another 150 Australian Defence Force members will join the 100 already on the ground on Thursday,

A third helicopter will be available for night time operations from Wednesday evening, likely operating in the Hunter region, he added.

Ms Cooke said damage assessments will begin in Sydney's west as floodwaters recede around the Georges River and Upper Nepean River.

However, she warned residents to wait until they've been given the word from the SES to return home.

"Whilst it might be tempting for people to return home we're really asking you to respect those evacuation orders," Ms Cooke said.

"There's a reason why they are in place."

Some properties have been isolated for days and infrastructure such as roads, power, water, and telecommunications are damaged.

Mr Albanese and Mr Perrottet will visit deluged parts of the Hawkesbury on Wednesday - a region that has endured four floods in the past 18 months.

The prime minister has announced disaster recovery payments of $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for children will be available, with applications open from 2pm on Thursday.

"This is on top of the joint arrangements being made available through NSW and the Commonwealth," Mr Albanese said.

Affected New Zealand citizens will also have some support available.

Mr Perrottet said the focus remains on protecting lives and properties, but attention will shift quickly to support and recovery.

Grants are available again, and the approval process has been improved to make sure money gets to people who need it faster, Mr Perrottet said.

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Victoria has extended its pandemic declaration by three months as health experts consider whether to reintroduce mask mandates or introduce a second booster to curb COVID-19 cases.

The declaration was due to expire before midnight on July 12, but has been extended until at least October 12.

In a statement on Tuesday, Premier Daniel Andrews said he was satisfied COVID-19 continues to pose a "serious risk" to public health throughout the state.

This, he said, justified ongoing public health measures over winter to reduce the risk of transmission and hospitalisation.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also warned that anyone who isn't fully vaccinated is "crazy" as the state braces for a third wave to peak in late July and early August.

The surge in cases is being driven by two Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, and health experts believe the number of cases and deaths will continue to grow.

Meanwhile, state and territory health experts are considering whether to reintroduce mask mandates to curb the case increase.

Dr Chant urged people to consider wearing masks in enclosed spaces to curb the spread of disease in NSW.

As Victoria's death toll rose above 4000, Premier Daniel Andrews said he couldn't make it any clearer that vaccines worked.

However, he stopped short of telling Victorians to don masks outside of the current mandated settings such as health facilities, aged care and public transport.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation was looking at the benefits of widening the eligibility for a second booster.

"We need to make sure that people continue to keep up their vaccinations... making sure that people get their third shot, their booster shot because the numbers weren't as high as the health experts would have liked," Mr Albanese told 6PR in Perth.

On Tuesday there were 3740 people with COVID in hospitals across the country, the highest levels since February during the height of the Omicron wave.

More than 36,000 infections were reported nationally and experts warn case numbers will climb even further as winter progresses.

International arrivals no longer need to declare their vaccination status to enter the country.

LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA:

Victoria: 10,056 cases, 23 deaths, 523 in hospital with 29 in ICU

NSW: 13,775 cases, 10 deaths, 1822 in hospital with 64 in ICU

Tasmania: 1700 cases, one death, 79 in hospital with two in ICU

© AAP 2022