Farmers welcome patchy rain
Patchy rain has brought relief to farmers, but follow-up falls are crucial. See which regions have received rain and what it means for crops.
Victoria
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Farmers in Victoria’s North East have emptied up to 72mm from the rain gauge, while others are still waiting and hoping.
Corowa agronomist Paul Lavis of IK Caldwell said there were reports of 6mm to 50mm in the area, and the falls had been pretty patchy.
“The front went through and didn’t come to the east,” he said.
Mr Lavis said the rain was welcome, and most crops in the area had emerged with canola at full groundcover.
Bureau of Meteorology rainfall figures for the past seven days show Upper Buckland received 72mm; Alexandra, 52mm; Bobinawarrah, 48mm; Biggara, 43mm; Berringama, 35mm; Hinnomunjie, 31mm; Strathbogie, 30mm; Wangaratta, 30mm; Yarrawonga, 25mm; Omeo, 23mm; Mansfield, 21mm; and Ensay, 21mm.
Greta farmer Scott Flanigan said a “very welcome” 21mm fell at his place on Monday night, and he had heard of up to 55mm nearby.
“It is much needed, and there is more coming,” he said.
In the Western District, farmers were still waiting and hoping for the forecast 15mm to arrive on Tuesday evening or Wednesday.
Gorst Rural general manager Cam Conboy said 10 days ago, the region received an excellent reprieve from the dry season after recording falls of 30mm to 100mm.
“It is amazing how quickly it has soaked in, and farmers are now looking for more,” he said.
“The countryside looks like it has been painted green with a green tinge everywhere, but still no feed of any substance ... a hay truck goes down the road every 10 minutes.”
Nanneella farmer Jason Palmer grows irrigated and dryland crops and runs a feedlot. He said 5mm to 6mm fell at his place on Monday night.
“We have more coming. It is just enough to keep things ticking along,” he said.
Mr Palmer said the crops on irrigation country were looking magnificent, but anything that was dryland was still coming through.
Across the border at Holbrook in the eastern Riverina Brett Strong said 21.5mm of rain fell on Monday night.
“I was out sowing until 8pm on Monday, and we had some rain go through at about 6.30pm,” he said.
“We are expecting more.”
Mr Strong had been sowing oats and, in the past, had sown as late as July, so it was reassuring that some rain had arrived for those crops.
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