With floodwaters receding in the New South Wales central west, the state government says the damage bill is already more than $400 million and is likely to go much higher.  

In November, communities stretching from Bathurst to Lake Cargelligo were inundated with water, following a devastating rainfall event. 

It resulted in the death of two people, while hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed in Forbes, Eugowra, Molong and Condobolin. 

After months of rainfall and flooding, crop losses were expected to be in excess of 70 per cent.

Condobolin mixed farmer Diana Fear said the recent flooding caused a lot of damage.

"The water came with such volume it went over a number of the levee banks and then gouged big holes — once that happened, the water just kept washing them away," she said.

"It is going to be quite an expensive process, repairing the levee banks as well as the channels for our irrigation layout that got washed away.

"It would certainly be over $100,000." 

Ms Fear said demand for machinery and workers could further delay repair work.

"Contractors are really difficult to access at the moment so for a start it could take a year," she said.

Farmers across the state have also struggled to find contractors to fix levee banks.

"You wouldn't want to be sowing next year until levee banks are repaired, because even minor flooding will wipe out crops," Ms Fear said.

Fences in demand 

Fencing contractors are also in high demand after the flood event.

Parkes fencing business owner Matt Clarke said he had never been so busy. 

"With all the rain that we had last year and now with the flood damage, I am pretty well booked out for next year," he said.

A shortage of workers could also create further delays to repairs for flood-hit farmers.

"We could do with another crew that knew what they were doing to get over the amount of work, because there is just that much of it," Mr Clarke said.

"I don't know where everyone is, I just can't find anyone who wants to work." 

Financial concerns 

According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries landholders have reported damages totalling more than $438 million during the latest flood event. 

However, a spokesperson said the figures were only "preliminary" and were expected to rise as access to impacted properties opened up. 

Damage to infrastructure such as fencing, roads and farm equipment totalled $84 million to date, while crop losses accounted for $250 million. 

The executive officer of the NSW Rural Financial Counselling Service David Galloway said the floods would have a lasting impact. 

"It can take a number of years before they are financially back to the same position," he said.

"There is significant losses for farming communities, whether it is the impact of damage to sheds, silos, fences or through loss of stock or crops." 

Source - https://www.abc.net.au