Meat & Livestock News

Rainfall Offers Respite to Drought and Bushfire-Stricken Regions in Queensland and New South Wales

Lake bed drying up due to drought.

Recent rainfall has provided relief to parts of Queensland and New South Wales, areas enduring prolonged dry conditions and significant bushfire activity.

Over the weekend, these regions experienced varied rainfall, with reports indicating amounts ranging from 25mm to 100mm. Industry participants have described the precipitation as a welcome commencement to the wet season, following a notably arid year.

Central Queensland, particularly the Carnarvon Ranges, received much-needed moisture, aiding regions recently ravaged by extensive bushfires severely affecting grazing lands.
The rain reached up to 80mm in some fire-damaged areas, was

substantial relief, despite the considerable loss of property, with some clients reporting up to 90% of their land affected by the fires.

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded the highest rainfall at Gyranda Weir, south of Theodore, with 97mm. In the Carnarvon area, notable measurements included 59mm at Mt Ogg and 69mm at Pindari.

In Southern Queensland, which has also faced bushfires destroying homes and grazing country, the rainfall has sparked discussions about the potential for summer cropping, contingent on further rain.

Northern New South Wales shares a similar sentiment, with Inverell-based AWN Squires principal Terry Pyne noting the patchy nature of the storms but welcoming the positive start to the season and the morale boost it has provided.

Tenterfield woolgrower Jesse Moody, who previously reported on bushfires sweeping through his property, has since received 26mm of rain, effectively extinguishing the fires on his land, although some fires persist in the surrounding area.

While the most intense storms may have subsided, forecasts suggest additional rainfall for north-east New South Wales and Southern Queensland could be imminent.

Conversely, the Northern Territory and Northern Western Australia continue to contend with bushfires. The North Australia Fire and Rangelands Information website indicates ongoing fires in the Tanami region and across the border in WA, where rain has been sparse and lightning strikes have reportedly sparked new fires.

These areas have been fighting fires for several months, contributing to the estimated 2.773 million hectares burned this year.

Assistance for bushfire recovery has been made available, as detailed in a previous report highlighting the response of Queensland beef plants, which have increased processing activities to accommodate cattle from fire-impacted areas.

The recent rains have been a reprieve for many, yet the situation remains complex with ongoing fires and the need for further rainfall to sustain recovery and growth.