Rain brings hopes of top crop

There’s high hopes for a bumper winter crop as major NSW grain-growing regions receive upwards of 90mm of rain in the past week. See where the rain fell.

MAJOR NSW grain-growing regions have received upwards of 90mm of rain in the past week, raising hopes of a bumper winter crop as plantings ramp up.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Quambone, northwest of Dubbo, recorded 93mm of rain in the seven days to 9am yesterday in a front that delivered decent ­totals to many parts of the state following earlier season-­defining falls.

Good rain in parts of NSW in recent months have prompted some analysts to predict Australia that could produce a “top three” wheat crop of more than 27 million tonnes this year.

Among the biggest rainfall totals in the past week were 77mm at Forbes, 74mm at Coonabarabran and Dunedoo, 52mm at Coonamble, 38mm at Mudgee and 33mm at Narrabri and Walgett.

Coonabarabran has now received 134mm of rain for the month and 598mm, or almost 24 inches, for the year to date, just shy of its annual average total of 654mm. Dunedoo has received 505mm and Forbes 329mm since the start of January.

At nearby Cowra, another 24mm of rain fell in the past seven days, taking its April rain total to 61mm and its year-to-date tally to 254mm.

Cowra farmer and NSW Farmers vice president Chris Groves said local conditions were “looking amazing”.

“We’ve had really good rain,” he said. “It is a great start to the year and it is giving everyone a lot of confidence to get on with the business of producing, especially in these (coronavirus) times.”

In southern NSW last week the best falls were at Hay (55mm), Grenfell (49mm), West Wyalong (43mm), Condobolin (41mm) and Deniliquin (33mm). The biggest totals in Victoria were in Gippsland with Mallacoota recording 52mm, ahead of Jindivick (30mm), Thorpdale (25mm), Yanakie (24mm), Erica (23mm), Warragul (20mm), Lakes Entrance (17mm), Sale (15mm), Bairnsdale and the Latrobe Valley (14mm) and Orbost (13mm).

The Latrobe Valley has been one of the wettest centres in Victoria this year having recorded 251mm so far ahead of Lake Eildon (251mm), Geelong (248mm), Redesdale (240mm) and Yarram (238mm).