Latest news with #VictorianFarmersFederation
ABC News
01-07-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Climatologists warn higher June rainfall not enough to break Victorian drought
The skies have opened and filled rain gauges in parts of Victoria, but the drought is far from over. Climatologists say it will take long and consistent periods of above-average rainfall to end the dry stint. For farmers, the metric is both complicated and simple — the drought ends when they are no longer buying huge amounts of feed because the grass is growing again, but getting that grass growing takes more than just rain. For 15 months from February 2024, parts of south-west and western Victoria experienced their lowest rainfall on record since 1900. During that time, the south-west Victorian centres of Hamilton, Mortlake and Warrnambool hit their monthly rainfall average a couple of times, but June was the first month to surpass it. Warrnambool recorded 125.6 millimetres against a June average of 79.3mm, Hamilton had 87.4mm (June average 65.8mm) and Mortlake had 119mm (June average 54mm). But the rain has not reached further north — Horsham had 35.8mm in June, against an average of 40.8mm, continuing this year's run of below-average monthly rain. So while parts of the south-west are seeing water in their dams, some of the western district has not been so lucky. Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said breaking a drought was not as simple as seeing good amounts in the rain gauge. "I think that's one of the challenges we always face with drought compared to other natural disasters — with a fire you know when the fire has passed an area," Mr Hosking said. "With a drought … the question every farmer out there will be asking is, 'Is that good rain the end of the drought or is that just in the middle of a drought?' Mr Hosking said even if the state received record-breaking rainfall in the next week, the effects of drought were long-lasting. Grass grows slower in winter due to colder temperatures and reduced sunlight. This means it could be a while before the rainfall has an effect, Mr Hosking said. "We still don't have an end to the drought situation because what we know is that it takes time for fodder to grow in a paddock," he said. Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Qian Zhou said soil moisture remained incredibly low in south-west Victoria despite above-average June rainfall. "For regions with severe rainfall deficiency for longer than 12 months, a single rain event is not enough to end the meteorological drought conditions," she said. "Sustained periods of above average rainfall are generally required to break the meteorological drought." Ms Zhou said it was difficult to pinpoint exactly how much rainfall would be required, but soil moisture was often a good indicator as it promoted grass growth. However, she said the long-term rainfall outlook was not good for south-west Victoria. "The rainfall for the three-month period of July to September shows a slight increased chance of below-average rainfall for small parts of south-western Victoria," she said.
Herald Sun
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Herald Sun
Victoria's worst roads: Potholes are killing country drivers, warning
Victorian lives are being put at risk because of crumbling roads that are littered with potholes. It comes as it's revealed people in rural and regional areas are twice as likely to die in crashes on the state's roads. Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said roads in rural areas crumbled over time because of droughts and floods, and needed to be regularly maintained for the safety of the country families who travelled them. An alarming 15,000 potholes were reported on Victorian roads last year — averaging more than 120 per day — as new road craters continue to emerge. The dangerous roads were now making regional Victorians scared to drive, Mr Hosking said. 'From surface issues to shoulder drop-offs and potholes, they are making the road conditions dangerous. We are seeing the deaths already, and no doubt it's going to get worse, and it really needs to be fixed,' he said. While it was dismissed as a major factor by authorities, Mr Hosking said he firmly believed bad surfaces were contributing to an uptick in deaths on rural Victorian roads. His warning comes after a rise in reported road accidents and vehicle damage due to potholes and people complaining of tarmac on major high-speed roads being riddled with defects. The latest road death statistics show 82 people have died on rural roads for the year to date, compared to 55 in metro areas. This is 15 more deaths than the same period the previous year. In March, the state coroner ruled that poor road conditions and wet weather led to the death of an elderly Belmont man on a notorious stretch of a Geelong highway. Frank Baker, 77, died when a truck travelling on the Bellarine Highway in Wallington lost control, crossed the median strip, and slammed into his silver van on 3 May 2023. The coroner raised road safety as a major concern, stating: 'In the interest of public safety, to prevent further death and injuries, I recommend that the Secretary Department of Transport and Planning immediately prioritise the resurfacing of the westbound lanes of Bellarine Highway in Wallington (between Curlewis Road and Fenwick Street), Victoria'. The Department of Transport confirmed to the Herald Sun that works had been fast-tracked and were finally completed last month — almost two years after the deadly accident. Just last week, a Lindenow farming family narrowly escaped a near-tragedy after the road they were travelling on crumbled beneath their vehicle. Learner driver Layla Bartlett, 16, was behind the wheel with her mother Terese in the passenger seat on Buchan Rd in East Gippsland on June 2 when 'the bitumen crumbled underneath our tyre,' Terese said. The car was flung into the path of oncoming traffic which included a cattle truck and rolled several times leaving it a wreck. Luckily the family walked away with minor injuries. RACV Head of Policy, James Williams, has warned that maintenance of roads has been falling short 'for the last three years'. 'If they want to keep patching potholes, by all means keep patching that is fine in the short-term, but in the longer term they need to get back on top of their road maintenance or you've just got more work and more cost coming,' he said. The biggest hotspot for potholes according to Snap Send Solve app data is the Mornington Peninsula, which topped the list with 1,720 reports lodged. This was followed by Gippsland, which had 1,563 reports. Despite reports of worsening road conditions, police and the Victorian Transport Accident Commission still report that speed, drugs and alcohol, as well as fatigue, are the biggest risk factors. 'There is no data or evidence to suggest that road conditions are a major factor contributing to trauma on our roads,' commission chief Tracey Slatter told the Herald Sun. 'Speeding, fatigue, distractions, not wearing seat belts and impairment continue to be major contributing factors to regional road trauma. 'We can all play our part in helping prevent road trauma every time we get behind the wheel – slow down, obey road rules and signs, don't drink or drug drive, wear a seatbelt, and avoid distractions and driving tired.' Join the Herald Sun's Fix Victorian Roads movement by using the hashtag #FixVicRoads on social media.
The Age
09-06-2025
- Climate
- The Age
Mass car rescue on Mount Hotham as farmers welcome the rain
Elsewhere, two hikers who became stuck on the remote Wonnangatta walking track, also in the state's High Country, were found safe and well on Monday evening. 'They're just in an area where they're, due to the snowfall, unable to progress further on the track,' Johnston earlier told ABC radio. Specialised alpine search and rescue units used sleds to rescue trapped people, as emergency vehicles struggled to access those stranded because of snow-covered roads. By Monday evening, Mount Hotham had recorded 62 centimetres of snow since the start of the long weekend, while Falls Creek had recorded 60 centimetres. Loading Cross Country Skiing Association Victoria treasurer James Louw said the state's alpine environments could become hostile quickly, especially for people who ventured in poorly prepared. 'The weather report doesn't tell you how terrible you might feel when you're out there,' he said. 'It's a really short timeframe from being OK to being hypothermic and unable to care for yourself.' Louw said he often saw visitors heading to alpine resorts who had not brought the equipment necessary to stay safe, such as tyre chains. Victorian farmers have welcomed the rain that has soaked the state across the long weekend, breaking records in the south-west, but they're still hoping for more. Mount Sabine, in the Otways between Lorne and Apollo Bay, had 137 millimetres fall since Friday, while the towns of Mortlake and Penshurst received their highest three-day June rainfall totals on record. Warrnambool broke its highest single-day June total record after 39 millimetres of rain fell between 9am on Saturday and Sunday. Simon Severin works as an agronomist, a type of scientist specialising in crop production, in Horsham. He said farmers would be hoping for more rain in about a fortnight. 'We've had to sow nearly all the crop dry and wait for rain to bring the crop up, so the crops will emerge on this rain,' he said. 'I think everyone's had more than 15 millimetres, up to 25-30 in places [in the Wimmera]. This will get the crops and the feed growing, but follow-up rain will be crucial. The soil will be very dry and this rain will be gone very soon.' Meteorologist Daniel Sherwin-Simpson said more prolonged rain was expected in western Victoria next Monday. The cold and wet conditions follow a warm and dry autumn that parched large parts of the state. Rainfall had been at the lowest on record for the past 16 months on Victoria's south-west coast. Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said the rain was a welcome relief to farmers across the state, particularly for those in the south-west, where the drought has hit hardest. Loading 'We'll need the rain to keep coming,' he said. 'This didn't fill the dams, it just started that process.' Hosking said the drought had hit the mental health of many farmers and the rain would have relieved some of that stress. 'The rain would certainly have boosted the wellbeing of farmers across Victoria,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
06-06-2025
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I won't get excited until my hair is wet': This weekend is make or break for farmers
The battered mental health of many drought-stricken farmers hinges upon a cold front forecast to dump rain across much of the state this weekend. Rain began falling in parched areas of south-west Victoria on Friday morning, bringing some relief to communities suffering through record-low rainfall over the past 18 months. But rain seemed to bypass other areas. Farmers hope this cold front signals the start of a wet winter as they desperately seek hay and feed to nourish livestock in dusty, barren paddocks. North central Victorian farmer and agricultural consultant Belinda Steers said farmers throughout Victoria were battling some of the worst conditions they had experienced. 'This is the one rainfall event that will make or break people,' she said. 'Mental health-wise I probably haven't seen farming at such a low point.' Loading Steers had to buy water for her home after her tanks ran dry. She said even heavy rain in coming days would not result in immediate grass growth because the ground was too cold. But rain would bring hope, Steers said. 'It just gives people that optimism that it can still rain.' Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said farmers in the most drought-stricken areas would need at least 10 millimetres of rain to make a difference, although they were hoping for much more.
The Age
06-06-2025
- Climate
- The Age
‘I won't get excited until my hair is wet': This weekend is make or break for farmers
The battered mental health of many drought-stricken farmers hinges upon a cold front forecast to dump rain across much of the state this weekend. Rain began falling in parched areas of south-west Victoria on Friday morning, bringing some relief to communities suffering through record-low rainfall over the past 18 months. But rain seemed to bypass other areas. Farmers hope this cold front signals the start of a wet winter as they desperately seek hay and feed to nourish livestock in dusty, barren paddocks. North central Victorian farmer and agricultural consultant Belinda Steers said farmers throughout Victoria were battling some of the worst conditions they had experienced. 'This is the one rainfall event that will make or break people,' she said. 'Mental health-wise I probably haven't seen farming at such a low point.' Loading Steers had to buy water for her home after her tanks ran dry. She said even heavy rain in coming days would not result in immediate grass growth because the ground was too cold. But rain would bring hope, Steers said. 'It just gives people that optimism that it can still rain.' Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said farmers in the most drought-stricken areas would need at least 10 millimetres of rain to make a difference, although they were hoping for much more.
