Home

Back

page regenerated:
07 Aug 2008

There has been some rainfall across the State but much of it was scattered with isolated storms, resulting in significant storm damage in parts of the South East. Pasture is in limited supply and of poor quality in most areas. Summer crop plantings have been limited in most areas due to the dry conditions. During December, following recommendations from the Local Drought Committees, the Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities declared under state drought process a shire declaration for the shires of Brisbane, Caboolture, Caloundra, Crows Nest, Esk, Gold Coast, Kilcoy, Logan, Mackay, Maroochy, Mirani, Noosa, Pine Rivers, Redcliffe, Redlands and Sarina. On 01 January 2003 the shires of Atherton, Bowen, Eacham, Emerald, Herberton, Whitsunday and the remainder of Belyando not covered by the 12 November 2002 declaration were also declared under state processes. There are now 75 shires and 1 part shire drought declared which represents approximately 42.7% of the State. There are also 709 Individually Droughted Properties in a further 30 shires.

REGIONAL SUMMARIES:

North Region: Scattered showers and storms towards the end of December provided some welcome relief across the north. Overall the season remains dry and significant rain is needed in the near future. Stock continue to be supplemented across the region but as the costs increase and fodder becomes harder to source, this option is becoming less attractive. Stock are generally in fair to poor condition. The dairy industry on the Tablelands is struggling as many have only supplementary or no irrigation available and pastures are in poor condition and impacting on milk production. The cane crop varies on a district basis, with the Tully and Burdekin areas looking good, yet in the Mossman/Mulgrave, Herbert and Tableland areas, the crop is suffering from the dry.

West Region: No effective rainfall was recorded during the month. Areas outside the drought declared shires continue to deteriorate. Feeding has increased and is now aiming to provide greater amounts of protein and high energy. The destocking process has stopped due to market closures and the unmarketability of many stock. Stock are currently being retained on properties and feeding programs stepped up. Surface water supplies continue to be a major concern across the region with many on-property storages dry or rapidly receding. Lack of water and pasture supplies have forced the closure of stock routes.

Central Region: There has been some rainfall in the northern and southern Highlands with these areas experiencing isolated storms in the latter half of the month. Further rainfall up to 75mm fell over the Christmas period with areas of hail which damaged some of the cotton crops in the district. December has been very warm with some patchy rain falling in the middle and towards the end of the month in the Dawson Callide. Most of the rain reported fell on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and as it fell quickly, most was lost as runoff rather than soaking in.

South-East Region: December rainfall was patchy and generally below average for most centres. There was significant storm damage in the horticultural areas around Gatton, Gin Gin and Mundubbera. Some falls have helped pasture growth and replenished dams and watercourses. Most cropping areas have now planted, but there are still areas that are very marginal.

South Region: 25 to 70mm of rain was recorded in the eastern portion of the region and 10 to 25mm in western areas during December. Pasture is in limited supply and quality in most areas. Stock condition varies with animals in the western zone worst affected. Summer crop plantings have been limited due to dry conditions.

LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES:

North Region: Supplementary feeding of all lines of stock is occurring and milk production in the dairy herds remains low in the Malanda Stock District. Although there have been some scattered falls in the Charters Towers Stock District and some bigger totals in the Mingela/Ravenswood area, these have generally done little to encourage pasture growth and have created little runoff to replenish surface water supplies. Stock condition continues to deteriorate as the reliance of supplements increases in line with pasture depletion. Townsville Stock District remains very dry and all stock owners are involved in some form of supplementary feeding program. Pasture condition in the Bowen and Whitsunday shires is limited and what remains is low quality. All properties are generally engaged in drought feeding with the rain that has fallen being too isolated to relieve the drought situation.

West Region: Some very isolated storms in the Cloncurry area delivered reasonable to handy falls for those properties or portions of properties fortunate enough to be under them. No other areas had any significant rainfalls recorded and as a result pastures across the North West continue to deteriorate. Producers continue to reduce stock numbers by selling and/or agistment. However, suitable agistment is proving difficult to secure. In the Central West, no significant rainfall was recorded and stock being transported out of the area has ceased, due to annual market closures and the unmarketability of stock. The areas of Isisford, Longreach, Barcaldine and Blackall, Tambo, Augathella, Charleville continue to deteriorate. Much of the bulk feed that was remaining has been consumed either by stock or kangaroos. No beneficial rain has been received in the South West and the area is deteriorating, particularly in eastern Murweh where IDP applications are increasing.

Central Region: There has been some good rainfall in the region, but it has been scattered and has not made a big difference. This has resulted in some green pick but generally feed quality is poor and quantity low. Condition of stock varies across the region.

South-East Region: In the Beaudesert district, stock are generally in strong condition but the condition of breeders with calves at foot varies across the shire, depending on supplementary feeding and irrigation availability. In Gympie, most commercial farmers have reduced numbers and are supplementary feeding. Stock condition is fair in the South Burnett but breeders that have bigger calves on them are suffering. There are quite a few properties in the area that have weaned early to reduce the effects of the dry on breeders. Stock sales have continued with smaller numbers and reasonable prices given the season. There is little or no agistment available. There is some green pick available in the Beaudesert district following approximately 90mm of rain during the month, but this was restricted to the northern portion of the shire. Pasture is either in very short supply or non-existent throughout the shire. Pasture quantity is extremely low in Gympie and the South Burnett, with any pasture growth resulting from useful rain being quickly eaten off, or burnt off with the hot dry winds in the following days. In the Boonah district, there is a green tinge in pastures but there has not been enough rainfall to produce worthwhile pasture bulk. Pastures have responded well at Monto after isolated heavy storm rainfall. Areas to the east of Gayndah also reported good storm rains and pastures have responded well in these areas.

South Region: Stock condition varies throughout the region. Animals in the western zone and Border Rivers area are worst affected. Livestock condition ranges from score 1 to score 3. Wool prices have risen substantially over the last twelve months. Limited pasture has forced widespread destocking throughout the year and feeding remaining stock has proved very expensive. Pasture availability is becoming critically short for large portions of the region. Warm and wet conditions are required to stimulate pasture growth and the unfavourable hot, dry conditions being experienced have limited the quality and quantity.

CROPPING AND HORTICULTURE

North Region: Some peanut crops have been planted on the Tablelands but generally only by farmers with irrigation. The other areas are waiting on rain before planting but the ideal planting window is coming to a close. The potato harvest has finished with quality and yields generally good. The mango harvest continues with generally good yields. In the Dry Tropics, the vegetable cropping season is currently in a ley period with cover crops in. The Herbert River area is very dry resulting in slow growth of ratoon cane. The sugar cane crop in the Innisfail/Tully area is growing well. In the Burdekin district, the dry clear weather and an abundance of irrigation water has allowed growers to complete fertilising and pest control giving the crop its maximum growth potential.

Central Region: There were heavy falls of rain later in the month in the Central Highlands but reports are indicating that these events were not enough to plant sorghum on a large scale. Individual paddocks may be planted. With the optimum planting time for sorghum closing, growers are considering planting "high risk" sorghum (planting without a full profile of moisture and therefore relying on in-crop rainfall to provide adequate yield) if a planting rain occurs shortly. The on-farm water storages do not have much water and this has restricted the broadacre irrigated crop plantings to date. A small area of sorghum was planted this month in the Callide, although the area was less than anticipated due to the less than ideal planting moisture. Very few mung beans have been planted, although the area of forage crops (irrigated and dryland) is higher this season due to the demand for hay at present. Some of the sorghum planted in Spring is starting to be harvested. Most paddocks are still being fallowed from last year's wheat crop and need another 50-60cm of soil moisture before the profile is full.

South-East Region: The summer cropping situation varies markedly. Areas that have received useful rainfall have planted but there is little subsoil moisture and significant soaking rain is needed to ensure a worthwhile crop. The ideal planting window for peanuts has closed but some have taken a risk and planted late. Coalstoun Lakes has had a better start to the season with most areas planted to corn or peanuts. There have been some crops planted in the Monto district but on some properties there has not been enough rainfall for successful crop establishment. Extensive damage was caused by a hailstorm in the Gin Gin district with losses of mature mango, lychee and small crops such as pumpkin and cucumber. Younger avocado, citrus, passionfruit and custard apple crops were also severely damaged and one banana plantation received extensive damage. In the Nambour district there has been 100-200mm of rain which has filled some dams and helped crop growth. Most horticultural crops have been under stress due to the dry weather. In the Gatton district there has been considerable storm damage to lettuce, tree crops, tomatoes and capsicums. Reports of hail in the Mundubbera district have seen some orchards lose a high percentage of their crop. Many field grown vegetable crops in the Gympie district have failed due to lack of rain. Un-irrigated tree crops such as macadamias have low yields.

South Region: The first reasonable widespread rain since August fell in the second week of December. Most farmers in the western Downs are still waiting for planting rain and planting can be delayed to the end of January. In the Stanthorpe shire, irrigation water is limited. Production and fruit quality will be adversely affected as will this year's bud development. Grapes have been affected by poor pollination, low yields, low production and poorer quality fruit. Vegetable production has dropped due to lack of irrigation water. Fire has destroyed some grape and fruit trees.

RAINFALL (figure in brackets indicates average)

North Region: Babinda received 178mm (331) Cairns A/P 72mm (190), Malanda 42mm (146), Ingham 81mm (217), Innisfail 115mm (n/a), Townsville 25mm (148), Tully 82mm (n/a), Bowen 14mm (n/a), Charters Towers 24mm (n/a), Georgetown 79mm (112) and Normanton A/P 88mm (n/a) Proserpine A/P 31mm (n/a).

West Region: Birdsville A/P 2mm (n/a), Boulia 6mm (28), Windorah 0.5mm (27), Cloncurry 5mm (58), Mt Isa 7mm (62), Longreach 20mm (51), Muttaburra 8mm (59), Winton 7mm (51) and Charleville 12mm (53).

Central Region: Clermont recorded 21mm (101), Alpha 45 (85), Springsure 54mm (107), Mackay 28mm (197), Yaamba 54mm (131), Biloela A/P 74mm (102), Mt Larcom 64mm (150), Gladstone 70mm (140), and Theodore 72mm (102).

South-East Region: Eidsvold recorded 68mm (86), Gayndah 32mm (112), Mundubbera 46mm (100), Esk 232mm (111), Kilkivan 89mm (124), Kingaroy 69mm (n/a), Nanango 60mm (108), Proston 53mm (108), and Beaudesert 92mm (128). On the coastal fringe Bundaberg received 79mm (138), Maryborough 86mm (134), Nambour 180mm (180) and Tewantin 173mm (n/a).

South Region: Clifton 82mm (109), Dalby 134mm (n/a), Goondiwindi 97mm (n/a), Inglewood 102mm (86), Oakey 171mm (93), Pittsworth 72mm (104), Stanthorpe 122mm (93), Toowoomba A/P 166mm (n/a), Warwick 63mm (n/a), Roma 24mm (n/a), Miles 62mm (n/a), St George A/P 71mm (n/a) and Taroom 59mm (104).

WATER STORAGE/SUPPLIES

North Region: Water supplies are still generally low with no significant flows in rivers and creeks this month.

West Region: On-property surface storages continue to recede and are now a major concern for affected producers. Large tracts of country within the Diamantina shire have been destocked as a result of the lack of water, regardless of the feed availability.

Central Region: There are very few natural flows in the Fitzroy or western streams. Storm rain in late December caused very small runs in the Upper Dawson and in the Boyne/Calliope. There was insufficient flow to permit water harvesting and there are unlikely to be any worthwhile increases in water storage levels. South-East Region: All major water storages in the region are at low levels. Irrigation bores and dams are also failing in most districts. While some rainfall totals received during the month are significant, much of the rainfall was patchy and in storms that have in many cases caused damage.

South Region: There are parts of Balonne, Waroo, Inglewood, Stanthorpe, Warwick and Waggamba shires which are experiencing severe water shortages. The quality of the dam water is a concern as water levels recede. Bores and creeks are at a record low.

Information provided by:
REGIONAL DELIVERY

Enquiries to: Ros Moloney
Primary Industries Building, 80 Ann Street, GPO Box 46, Brisbane Q 4001
Telephone: (07) 3239 3181
Facsimile: (07) 3239 3454

National Agricultural Monitoring System (NAMS)

The National Agricultural Monitoring System (NAMS) provides current and historical climate, production, pasture and commodity information for agricultural industries at the national, state and regional scales, in user-friendly graphs and maps. NAMS is primarily designed to streamline Exceptional Circumstances drought assistance applications and assessments. NAMS can be accessed at www.nams.gov.au. This web-based tool is funded by the Australian, State and Territory governments and contains modelled analyses provided by Queensland Departments of Natural Resources & Water and Primary Industries & Fisheries.