Early in April a group of farmers met in a community hall in Nimmitabel, a town in southern NSW with almost-treeless paddocks and freezing winters. For one hour an expert ran through the grim outlook.

The soil moisture and grass cover was dangerously low, he said, displaying data from four $5000 probes spread across the district. If it didn't rain soon, there wouldn't be enough feed to get their lambs, sheep and cattle through to spring. The animals would be battered by the cold Alpine air.