Barkly Tablelands run dry as pastoralists reduce cattle herds

PASTORALISTS say the Territory has hit drought as dams run dry and feeds shrink on cattle stations across the Barkly Tablelands.

Territory cattlemen say drought is affecting stations in the Barkly Tableland.

THE Territory has hit drought as dams run dry and feeds shrink on cattle stations across the Barkly Tablelands, pastoralists say.

The flood plains of the Barkly region, the heart of the Territory’s cattle country, have in different parts received less than 10 per cent of their average seasonal rainfall.

The dry spell in the Barkly comes off the back of farmers seeing only half the average annual rainfall in 2018.

Sandy Warby, station manager at Phillip Creek Station 50km north of Tennant Creek, said the land was as dry as he had ever seen it.

“It’s a pretty tough time at the moment,” Mr Warby said.

“We’ve been here 13 years and it’s the driest it’s been since we’ve been here.

“We’ve probably had 10-20 millimetres of rain this wet season … to this time of year we would normally have about 8-10 inches.”

Mr Warby said water levels and feed are becoming light at Phillip Creek Station which, in turn, has compelled a reduction in herd population.

“We are relying on boars mainly at the moment … we have a few big dams with good volume but the rest of the smaller dams have been dry for a few months,” he said.

“We’ve responded by reducing our numbers to lighten off and make room.”

Mr Warby said pastoralists across the region are offloading cattle to ride out what he is calling “drought conditions”.

“We had half our annual rainfall last year and this year it has only gotten worse … you would call it drought conditions.” “If it does rain that would be really good, but we’ve got a plan for managing our cattle and we’re sticking to it.”

A spokeswoman from the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Resources (DPIR) said the government was mobilising to support impacted farmers.

“The DPIR is keenly aware of the difficulties faced by those on the land in the central Australian district due to the hotter than normal wet season conditions we have faced,” the spokeswoman said.

“The DPIR encourages pastoralists and horticulturists to contact the department or the Australian Government to assess if they’re eligible for assistance programs … and is currently working with the Australian Government to expedite the roll out of the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme in the NT.”