Where soil moisture sits after recent Victorian rainfall

Despite much needed rain across most of Victoria, deep moisture remains limited in key cropping regions. See the latest figures.

Farmers have emptied the rain gauge due to some handy falls in the past week to 10 days, but the soil moisture levels are still low.

The latest Soil Moisture Monitoring project by Agriculture Victoria uses underground probes to indicate the soil water data across the state.

Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist Dale Boyd from Echuca said there were many areas with low soil moisture.

Sites across cropping regions, including Birchip, Ouyen, Kerang and Hamilton, recorded soil moisture of 30cm to 1 metre and show just how much water is on hand for winter crops.

“Rainfall in June has improved seedbed conditions in some areas, but deep moisture remains limited, particularly in the Mallee and Wimmera,” he said.

Dale Boyd, seasonal risk agronomist with Agriculture Victoria says even though recent rain has arrived soil moisture levels are still low.

Mr Boyd said May and April were unusually dry and impacted crop emergence.

He said while some of the soil moisture readings showed levels at 70 per cent it actually reflected surface moisture from recent rain. He said while Ouyen’s reading showed 72 per cent at 30cm to 100cm the deeper soil layers were still lacking moisture for optimum crop growth.

Soil moisture monitoring sites for June 2025:

● Ouyen 30cm to 100cm, 72 per cent

● Normanville 30cm to 100cm, 50 to 75 per cent

● Brim 30cm to 100cm, 25 to 50 per cent

● Sheep Hills 30cm to 100cm, less than 50 per cent

● Taylors Lake 30cm to 100cm, 50 to 60 per cent

● Birchip 30cm to 100cm, less than 62 per cent

● Coonooer Bridge 30cm to 100cm, less than 50 per cent

● Raywood 30cm to 100cm, 25 to 50 per cent

● Elmore 30cm to 100cm, 25 to 50 per cent

Ouyen farmer Leonard Vallance.

Ouyen farmer Leonard Vallance said there was a “fair deficiency” of soil moisture.

“We have had nothing over 4mm in one rainfall event since Anzac Day, and we had nothing at all in May ... it is still fairly dry,” he said.

Most of his wheat and barley crops had emerged and legumes were struggling.

“We had windy weather this week, and it did damage and didn’t deliver much in the way of rain.”

He measured just 5mm for the week in two rainfall events.

He said the wheat, barley, oats, lupins and canola were all struggling.

“The whole of southeast Australia needs 50mm of rain.”

Chris Drum of Banyena. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Banyena farmer Chris Drum said there was moisture deep down and also on the surface at 30cm. And then it was dry in the middle.

“The moisture we have is left over from last year,” he said.

He was optimistic that recent rain was helping soil moisture levels to improve.

In the past week his property received 15mm but he was now expecting a few dry weeks and more frost conditions.

“It would be lovely to have a good spring,” he said.