MASSIVE thunderstorms dumped much-needed water onto some of the driest parts of NSW and Queensland yesterday (Thursday).
However, it was far from enough to relieve the intense grip of the country’s crippling drought, with a return to heatwave conditions forecast for next week.
The depth of the drought crisis was ironically clear to Queensland Agriculture Minister John McVeigh when he visited stricken regions yesterday in the rain.
First stop on the tour was Peter and Elizabeth Clark's wool growing operation at Leander, 25 kilometres north-west of Longreach. The couple say they will run out of options if there is no break in the stubborn dry before the end of the month.
“If you look at the forecasts it's very likely we'll go into another winter without a break”
Over the first nine days of the year, Longreach has had 3.6 millimetres – all of it falling yesterday morning. About 30km south of Longreach, 55mm fell in 24 hours and just outside Windorah 78mm was recorded in the same period.
Average yearly rainfall for Leander is 550mm. Last year they received about 120mm, forcing them to lighten stock to about 2000 sheep of mixed sex, with 500 on feed, 400 on native grasses and 1000 on agistment between Aramac and Ilfracombe.
The Clarks decided against joining their rams to ewes in October due to the lack of water and quality feed.
Mr Clark said that even if it rained properly tomorrow and the seasons returned to normal, it would be another three years before Leander would be back at capacity of 4500 sheep.
"The bottom line is that if it doesn't rain soon we are going to run out of money," he said.
"If you look at the forecasts it's very likely we'll go into another winter without a break. The records show that droughts can persist for a very long time.
"One of the things in our favour is that the Mitchell and buffel grass has held on fairly well. So if it does rain the country will respond well."
