Season update reveals mixed fortune in Wimmera and central Vic

WHILE Wimmera and central Victorian farmers wait on more rain, things are getting muddy in Gippsland.

Peter Wighton and daughter Bridget are sowing Canola on property in Springhurst. Picture: ANDY ROGERS

WHILE Wimmera and central Victorian farmers wait on more rain to boost soil moisture, things are getting muddy in Gippsland.

In East Gippsland, at Bete Bolong near Orbost, Marc Robbins said the dairy and cattle farm he works on is incredibly wet and boggy.

“Without swearing, it’s a bit hard to explain,” Mr Robbins said. “You sort of think it’s wet and then it keeps getting wetter.”

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 105mm of rain at Orbost in the first 20 days of July — 35mm above the July average.

Gregor McNaughton at Seaspray, south of Sale, said the season was tracking well.

Mr McNaughton has 108 years of rainfall figures for his sheep farm, which averages 600mm annually.

“We’ve had 330mm so far this year,” Mr McNaughton said. “Since the drought ended in 2010, we’ve had average rains. It has been five good years.”

In other areas, for the week to Monday, Albury received 15mm, Euroa had 11mm and Swan Hill had 6mm.

But further west Boort received 5mm, Horsham had just 3mm, Kaniva had 5mm and Rainbow recorded only 1mm.

In the state’s south, Casteron had 18mm, Warrnambool 23mm and Hamilton 11mm.

In North East Victoria, Peter Wighton, from Springhurst, said the rain had been perfect for his 800ha crop.

“We really don’t need any more at the moment and you feel guilty for saying that as we know a lot of people do need rain,” Mr Wighton said.

Elders Bendigo senior agronomist Craig Sharam said most farmers received about 20mm last week, “but there is not a lot of subsoil moisture”.

Falls have boosted confidence in the Western District.

Areas such as Streatham have received about 40mm in the past fortnight and growers say they are set for three or four weeks.

But Victorian Government agronomist Dale Boyd, who monitors a statewide network of soil moisture probes, said falls below 15mm had little impact.

Wimmera growers needed “some significant” rainfall to support their crops, he said.

“It’s coming into the second half of July, and then into August you get longer days where the plants’ water requirements increase,” Mr Boyd said.

“So, they will be looking for some significant rainfall.”