Horrific drought grips Victoria, thousands of families left to truck in drinking water after months of no rain

Water tanks dry, households rationing drinking water, animals parched — this is the reality for thousands of Victorian families and farmers struggling through the worst drought seen in almost two decades.

Farmers like Adam Sewell are struggling amid horrific drought conditions in Victoria. Picture: Rob Leeson

Water tanks and dams across Victoria have run dry prompting thousands of households and farmers to pay for drinking water to be trucked in by semi-trailers, as towns across the state continue to struggle with the worst drought in almost two decades.

As temperatures are set to sizzle this week, households and livestock producers are rationing water and buying it in where possible after months of no rain.

In areas surrounding Bendigo, water carters report being booked solid for weeks with families not connected to town water now desperate to have their tanks filled.

Country Water Deliveries owner Mark White said “it’s been crazy busy” and he hasn’t seen a dry like this in almost a decade.

“I haven’t had a day off since Christmas and I work 12 hours a day,” he told the Herald Sun.

“It’s worse than the last drought seven years ago. All the tanks are dry and now the dams are going too. Up until now it’s been mostly households needing water but we are now starting to deliver for livestock.”

Water craters are now starting to deliver for livestock in drought-affected areas. Picture: Supplied

Mr White says water companies have to prioritise farm deliveries due to the risk of livestock dying.

Farmer Adam Sewell, 43, near Bendigo said “we need rain it’s as simple as that”.

“We’ve had water trucked in and we’ve upgraded our bore. It’s not as bad as it could be yet, but hopefully we will get rain soon.”

To the north of the state, six-year-old Elwood from Charlton and his kelpie mate Snickers, 2, are not old enough to remember the previous droughts, but locals in the area say dams are going dry that had water in the Millenial Drought in the early 2000s.

Elwood and Snickers out checking troughs on a farm near Charlton. Picture: Supplied

Victorian Farmer’s Federation president Brett Hosking said the drought, which has been running in some areas from April 2023, was taking its toll and that people in the regions are “praying for rain”.

“It’s dry across vast parts across the state but especially in the south west, that’s where the need is hitting the hardest because they are facing that feed shortage, because of no rain last year for the crops, but also now a water shortage because the dams are all drying up.”

“Farmers are hopeful we will see rain soon but absolutely they are feeling it.

Bernie Free, president of United Dairy Farmers of Victoria said in his region in Warrnambool it was now totally dry, conditions not seen for decades.

“I’m one of the fortunate ones because we’ve still got groundwater we can use for water for the stock,” he said.

“But it’s been extremely dry at our place for the last two and a half years, which is concerning.”

Adam Sewell at his farm Sheep Dip Hill at Joyces Creek in central Victoria. Picture: Rob Leeson

Drought affected residents say they have had scarce water sources for the last two and a half years. Picture: Supplied

He and Mr Hosking called on the Victorian Government to commit to building a series of water pipeline projects to areas like Warrnambool, Central Goldfields, Northern Grampians and Wimmera to fight prolonged dry seasons and the impact of climate change.

They said linking farming communities to the desalination plant and water reserves was critical for future food security in Victoria.

In the state’s West Harrow sheep farmer Michael Craig said farmers had prepared for a big dry with feed for livestock costing hundreds of thousands of dollars but that it had gone on for so long that some primary producers were facing bankruptcy if decent rain didn’t come soon.

The drought is not just affecting the regions with Melbourne’s storage levels dropping below 80 per cent for the first time in four years.

The low levels are being closely monitored by the state and could potentially trigger water restrictions or a desalination plant order, which is decided annually in April.

BOM DROUGHT MAP

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Senior Climatologist Jonathan Pollock said rainfall in the last 12-month period in Victoria was among the lowest since 1900 when records began.

“Rainfall totals in summer were below to very much below average for most of the western two-thirds of the state,” he said.

“January to February 2025 rainfall was very much below average — in the driest 10 per cent of the historical range — for parts of the Mallee, Wimmera, South West, West and South Gippsland, North Central and Northern Country districts.

“In contrast, parts of Central Gippsland and East Gippsland had very much above average rainfall (in the wettest 10 per cent of the historical range) for the same period.”

Farmers are trucking in water for their livestock amid the worst drought conditions seen in two decades. Picture: Rob Leeson

Moving forward he forecast things were looking to improve in the north and west of the state with rainfall predicted in Autumn, but he warned hotter than normal temperatures would continue through April.

A Victorian Government spokesperson said support was being provided to primary producers over 1300 grants issued.

“We know that farmers in South West Victoria are doing it tough, which is why we’re supporting farmers with a $13.53 million Drought Support Package – which includes grants to help farmers improve water infrastructure and drought preparedness,” they said.

“We’re closely monitoring water reserve levels following a hot and dry summer, particularly in Geelong and South West Victoria. In the meantime, all Victorians are urged to be aware of and comply with permanent water saving rules — every drop counts.”

Originally published as Horrific drought grips Victoria, thousands of families left to truck in drinking water after months of no rain