FALLS of between 30 and 135 millimetres across the district have delivered a dream Autumn break to farmers as they begin their winter sowing programs.
The highest falls were recorded in a band from Quambatook to Lake Meran, which received a thunderstorm on Friday night. Carl Chamberlain at Meering West topped the anecdotal rainfall charts with 135 millimetres, including approximately 50 millimetres in the thunderstorm.
“It created a lot of run-off and parts of our driveway and Dear Road are still under water,” Mr Chamberlain said.
He said a neighbour had fences flattened after running water caused a build-up of stubble.
At nearby Normanville, Geoff and Bronwyn Hunt measured 97 millimetres, while Quambatook received the same figure and just north of the township Malcolm Knight measured 84 millimetres.
“It doesn’t get much better than that; it was ideal timing and an ideal amount really,” Mr Knight said.
“We’d sown some barley and vetch for sheep feed and we will get on with the rest once it is dry enough.”
“The rainfall is an absolutely fantastic break; it’s just been what we’ve been looking for,” Normanville farmer, Geoff Kendell said.
“The falls came right before sowing starts, so it is just perfect.
“The ground is still quite hot, and although there will be some growth that will need to be cleared, we should have very good moisture levels throughout Winter.”
Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president, Brett Hosking received 70 millimetres at his Oakvale property.
“We have a lot of year ahead of us, but it’s a really good start and it brings about plenty of opportunities,” he said. Cannie farmer, Sam Wright received 60 millimetres, while to the east Lindsay Schultz measured 40 millimetres at Benjeroop and Andrew Leahy 35 millimetres at Murrabit.
“The rainfall is a wonderful sign for the rest of the season,” Benjeroop farmer, John Baulch said, whose property received 42 millimetres on Thursday night.
“I was a bit dubious that we were going to miss out on the rain, but that’s how it goes.”
In the Cohuna district, retired dairy farmer Max Fehring said falls of 40 to 50 millimetres were typical.
“In terms of timing, it’s one of the best rains we could get, and it certainly has changed the complexion of the landscape,” he said.
The front delivered 44.6 millimetres of rain to Kerang, making the 24-hour total between 9am Thursday and 9am Friday the highest since April 10, 2014, when 50.6 millimetres fell.
The one-day total is close to double the annual April average of 24.4 millimetres, with subsequent showers on Friday and the weekend increasing the April 2017 figure to 55.2 millimetres, which virtually doubled the year’s progressive total.
The January-March rainfall was 56.2 millimetres, which was 18 millimetres below the 137-year average.
The current total is 12.8 millimetres above the four-month average.
Cohuna received 30 millimetres and Koondrook 25 millimetres.
