Growing desperation in Veteran after 'hit and miss' rain

VETERAN landholders are battling a green drought.

A nearly empty Borumba Dam in November 2002. Gympie landowner Ted Uebergang says some areas of the region are suffering just as much today. Picture: Renee Pilcher

VETERAN landholders are battling a green drought.

Ted Uebergang, who stocks horses and donkeys and is also the weather enthusiast behind Gympie Weather website says it's the worst he's seen in his 20 years in the area.

"We are suffering,” he told the Gympie Times.

Despite green paddocks, dams are dry, he said, including that of his neighbour's who is watering 80 head of cattle on tank water.

This summer has not provided a reprieve for farmers in the Veteran area, who went through a very dry summer last year followed by an almost equally dry winter, Mr Uebergang said.

"All the storms that rolled through went around us,” he said adding that usually drought conditions break before or around Christmas, but not the last couple of years.

"We need a good steady winter rain that comes from the west - we didn't get there this time - it probably stopped where they need it more than us.”

He said the small sprinkle of rain they have had in the area has been enough to green the grass but not to put any depth in the dams.

"We bought 18 000 litres of water just before Christmas - and we are just due to get another.”

"It's not looking good.”

Stolzenburg Water Carriers owner Rodney Payne said the patchy rain had left more properties close to town than usual lining up for his business.

"You can't pick it,” Mr Payne said.

"She's (been) a funny old year.”

He said after 25 years in the industry he had seen far worse drought conditions, but if consistent rain didn't come soon growers would be "starting to scream for it”.

He noticed that approaches to buying water had changed, with residents choosing to conserve water when it was low rather than refill, to save money.

"They don't ring until they're out,” he said.