Weather wrap: Where the rain fell

Longed for follow up rain has graced some areas but left others untouched across south-eastern Australia as the failed autumn break continues to take its toll on farmers.

Longed for follow up rain has graced some areas but left others untouched across south-eastern Australia as the failed autumn break continues to take its toll on farmers.

Some of the best seven-day totals to Monday recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology included 40mm at Coleraine, 30mm at Charlton and 25mm at Omeo.

But the falls were fickle - Hamilton had 3mm, Sea Lake 12mm and less than 1mm was recorded at Yea over the same period.

While June has delivered for much of the parched south-west and some centres have measured more than 100mm for the month to date (Haines Junction 188mm, Lorne 108mm and Mt Baw Baw 103mm), the tough times are not over yet for farmers.

Western Ag Hamilton branch manager Tim Wilson said even with rain falling early this week, there were challenges facing producers.

“Yes, the rain will kick the winter crops along a bit and help with emergence but it’s too cold for the grass to really grow and so it’s not been a relief from feeding or buying more hay,” Mr Wilson said.

“But the rain has certainly been good for morale, and there was a noticeable shift in morale almost immediately after the area got two to three inches (50-75mm) over the June long weekend.”

Mr Wilson said more rain was needed to fill dams, with recent falls soaking into country rather than running off.

Wimmera farmer John Bennett has country between Nhill and Kaniva, as well as north of Stawell, and said crops on the latter were up after rain on Anzac Day.

Rain earlier in June across all properties of between 20-30mm had now prompted crop emergence on areas where they had be sown dry, and a few millimetres on Monday had been welcome too.

Mr Bennett said they would play a wait-and-see game when it came to the amount of urea applied, pending on further rain, but spraying programs were going ahead as normal.

He has been selling grain and fodder to feed-strapped farmers, including hay to producers in Port Fairy.

“They told us it is the worst it has been down there since 1914,” Mr Bennett said.

“As for us, we have only altered our cropping program a little, but it is looking more promising with rain coming in fronts now, so it seems the weather pattern has changed.”

Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist Dale Grey said rain across the King’s Birthday had allowed some crops to emerge, and follow up small falls were keeping the soil moist.

“If we can’t get big dollops of rain, then these little dollops still help,” Mr Grey said.

“For croppers in the north-west of the state, there is certainly relief that the season is now going.

“It’s filled a lot of the soil moisture profile in the south-west but it’s cold and won’t stop the need for feeding.”

Mr Grey said significant rain would be needed by mid to late August even with the recent falls.

“What we have had is a start,” he said.