Three children clinging to a tree in flood waters have been rescued after more rain struck northern Australia. However, wet weather in Queensland has finally begun to ease in the countdown to Christmas. Multiple crews were called after three girls sought refuge in the tree located in the flooded Barron River near Mareeba on Sunday night. “There were three of them in the centre of the river hanging on to a tree about 15 metres out [from the river bank],” a Queensland fire department spokesperson said. The girls – aged 13 and 14 – are believed to have been part of a group of children who had been swimming in the flood waters. They clung to the tree for almost two hours before they were rescued about 7pm. It marked the third water rescue in a wet couple of days in the rain-hit state. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Emergency crews were called to Granite Creek near Cairns on Saturday night, finding a 65-year-old man and his dog on the roof of a truck stuck ...