WA’s drought-hit Esperance region farmers ‘get out of jail’ after record-breaking deluge soaks South Coast paddocks

Record-busting rains have turned the season’s fortunes for south coast farmers, while others further inland wait in hope for another front brewing off the coast after missing out this week. Esperance recorded its highest August rainfall on record and its biggest downpour in six years, tipping the rain gauge at 54.4mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday. That was followed by a further 16.6mm by yesterday morning, and another front could bring a band of widespread rain from the south coast to the Pilbara coast this weekend. Heavy rains boost WA crop value ‘Good for farmers. good for us all’ Boats in paddocks as rain drenches south coast Ravensthorpe (40.4mm), Munglinup (48.6mm), Telina Downs (48.6mm), and Hopetoun (65.8mm) had all received healthy rain totals in the week to yesterday morning. It was welcome relief after a prolonged dry spell in which areas of Esperance, Ravensthorpe, Lake Grace, Kent, Dumbleyung and Jerramungup shires have been declared water-deficient. Scott Lawrence’s property east of Esperance recorded about 60mm for the week to yesterday morning, and rain was still falling at noon. “It has been a very dry, very challenging start to the year,” he said. “We would have been going into a summer with pretty dry dams again, so this has given us a fair bit of run-off rain at least, and put a lot of moisture back in the soil for the crops. “It will ease things but I don’t know whether I would necessarily say we are out of the woods yet.” Cascade farmer Scott Pickering said heavy falls hadn’t reached him this week, but it was a welcome top-up after a good downpour last month. “We got out of jail about 2.5 weeks ago when we had 40mm which virtually saved our a... for the year,” he said. “That was a season-defining rain. “If we can get another 30mm for August and 40-50mm for September, it will end up being a pretty good year.” Mr Pickering said his ram sales had been cut to about one quarter as farmers had moved sheep out of the drought-struck area. While coastal areas benefited, the big falls failed to reach far inland. Salmon Gums recorded 6.6mm over two days, Norseman had 7.4mm, and Southern Cross received 3.6mm. Rod Campbell, whose parched Kybo Station on the Nullarbor has gone six months without a decent drink, has been keeping his 1500 breeders fed with grass clippings from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s mowers. “That has been a help but it can’t go on forever,” Mr Campbell said. “If we don’t get a significant rain this month I will have to destock. “That will be annoying because we have been working pretty hard on increasing the quality of our herd so we don’t really want to lose it. This month will be the killer.” Mr Campbell said at least 50mm was needed to turn the station’s fortunes around. Grain Industry Association of WA spokesman Michael Lamond warned three weeks ago the State needed rain within the next month if there was any chance of WA delivering an average-sized crop. “Some farmers have had enough rain to provide run-off in their empty dams, and these rains mean there’s now a chance of getting some sort of crop at harvest time,” he said yesterday. Mr Lamond said half the Wheatbelt still had not received substantial rain and these farmers were pinning their hopes on more rain this weekend.