Varied subsoil moisture recorded across Victoria and southern NSW

Soil moisture levels across Victoria are highly variable, with some regions facing record lows while others have enough to make early planting decisions.

Parts of Victoria have recorded the lowest mid-February soil moisture levels in at least six years.

Soil moisture levels from central NSW to southern Victoria show a hit-and-miss pattern, with some farmers having ample moisture to plant early grazing crops and others making the decision to leave canola out of the rotation for 2025.

Farmer Ryan Milgate from Minyip in the Wimmera said his soil moisture probes were showing readings that were at the lowest levels for February in six years.

“I have had soil moisture probes here, and it is as dry as it has been since we started using them,” he said.

While Mr Milgate said he’s not overly worried and there is time for an autumn break, he has already made the decision not to sow canola this year.

“Recent years have been fairly favourable, so it is not all gloom and doom,” he said.

A stubble paddock sown with buckwheat in Southern NSW. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

Mr Milgate said rather than starting the season with a 50 per cent full bucket he would be starting at a 5 per cent level.

“That’s in rough figures,” he said.

“We just have to go into the cropping season with the mindset that we don’t have subsoil moisture up our sleeve.”

Mr Milgate will grow oaten hay instead of canola, which will be accompanied by other crops in the wheat, barley, and lentil program.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s soil moisture map shows a mix of red, orange and blue, indicating the varied levels of stored moisture.

Parts of the Western District are still struggling; however, to the east of the state and parts of the northwest, the situation was more positive.

Across the border in NSW, DLF Seeds agronomist Frank McRae from Orange said the story was the same, with variable soil moisture depending on what storms farms were under.

“There are people looking to sow some early grazing crops on the tablelands,” he said.

However, Mr McRae said supplies of seed for grazing oats and some of the dual-purpose early-sown varieties were in short supply because of the earlier dry seasonal conditions.

Stewart Hamilton of Inverleigh. Picture: Chloe Smith

Stewart Hamilton from Inverleigh in the Western District said things were possibly worse than at the same time last year.

“At least (this time) last year, we had Christmas rain to top up soil moisture,” he said.

Mr Hamilton estimated there was soil moisture down to about 60cm on his property.

“It is a double-edged sword with rain,” he said.

“We need to top up soil moisture, but then that will create summer weeds, too,” he said.

Mr Hamilton said one of the biggest issues was the fact that dams were drying up and stock water was becoming more scarce.