ABOUT 170 people, including many elderly residents from Chinderah, took refuge from floods at a Kingscliff evacuation centre last night, but organisers expect increased crowds as rising water levels coincide with a high tide early this afternoon.

"We put a lot (of them) into hotels,” a Department of Family and Community Services spokesperson said from the evacuation centre.

"Some also stayed in vans in the carpark and some with animals stayed in another space on campus. But I would say we're probably going to have a lot more people come today.”

Graham Rowe, 68, described the experience as part of the "adventure of life”, after evacuating from Chinderah and spending the night in his van on TAFE grounds.

"I was surprised it was still standing this morning,” he said. "It was rocking about in the wind.

"We were the first here yesterday afternoon and got a good spot.”

Des Holman, 75, evacuated from Kingscliff's Ingenia Holiday Park, his home for the past two years, when the order came.

"I've just got the clothes on me back,” he said. "We got told to evacuate immediately and we went. I rang to see if we could get back today but the SES said we can't. It's just the way it is.”

He said some of his neighbours had stayed and the floodwater was yet to reach their homes.

Those at the evacuation centre said they expected to find out if they could return home about 1pm today.

Mark Lanagan, who was at Chinderah on holidays seeing his daughter, said he had planned to take his grandson fishing but had been forced to postpone the trip due to the floods.

He praised the work of emergency service staff and volunteers and said everyone was being fed and provided with shelter.