Rainfall brings record breaking October
Peter and Loryn Morphett are just one of the families resorting to using buggies to get around in flood waters at their property ‘Ravensfield’, north of Hay. Image: supplied.
“We’re feeling pretty helpless”
By Krista Schade
La Nina is set to end in February, according to the senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), after a record-breaking October in many parts of the eastern states.
The BoM’s Jonothon How said Hay and Ivanhoe were among the regions which have set rainfall records for the month, alongside Bendigo, Swan Hill, Mildura, Mount Buller, Berry and Renmark.
BoM monthly rainfall data shows Hay received 148.6 mm of rainfall in October 2022, well above the average of 30.8. Ivanhoe also received well above the average of 24.7mm, with 262 falling at the Kilfera weather station.
Despite the outlook of La Nina dissolving in the new year, Mr How said predicted rainfall into November would see flooding continue.
"[Flooding] is likely to last for a long time as the rivers take a long time to flow inland," he said.
"Any rainfall will just keep topping up those rivers into summer until we get a decent, prolonged dry period which is looking more and more likely [to be when] heading into late summer."
North of Hay, at Ravensfield Station, Peter Morphett said the novelty of seeing the drenched plains is wearing off.
“Seeing the place soaked, and all the birdlife and frogs and everything has been remarkable, but it’s wearing off now.
“There’s a real feeling of concern now. There’s a lot of water coming and nowhere for it to go.
“We can’t do a real lot at the moment. I am trying to help my father with lamb shearing at “Yamba” but we won’t get any trucks in to cart the wool anyway.”
Add to that the issues with the back log of work that shearing contractors are dealing with, and bad weather striking newly shorn lambs and the next few months are shaping up to logistical nightmares for farmers.
When I spoke with Peter last week the usual half hour drive to his dad’s place had taken him two and a half hours in the rain, hail and bitter winds.
“We can only get around on ATVs (all terrain vehicles or quad bikes) or in buggies. We’ve hired buggies, so we can cart dogs and emergency gear, and eskies of groceries into the house. Everyone’s car is parked up on the nearest sealed road – ours are 15 kilometres away, and we come the rest of the way in the buggy.”
Peter told me some farmers around Booligal can only check their stock with helicopters and light aircraft, and are keeping an eye on neighbouring stock, for those graziers without planes, or whose airstrips are under water.
“Dad’s pretty lucky – his airstrip is built up but flying out to buy groceries is a bit different,” he said.
“Stock can be checked from the air, but that does little to address any animal welfare concerns on the ground.
“Sometimes we can’t risk getting the buggies bogged to check stock, because they are our only means of transport,” Peter explained.
“Everything has to be planned out in advance now, from buying groceries to seeing the doctor.
“If it gets too bad we may as well all pack up, take the dogs and head off. There isn’t much we are going to be able to do soon, and people are at real risk of being stranded out here.”
Peter’s wife Loryn works in Hay and has had no option but to pack up and leave Peter behind.
“It pretty common now for families to be split up, with one on the farm and one working or living in town, and that’s hard too.
“We’re all feeling pretty helpless.”
