STEADY SOAKING: Rain returns to drought-stricken Riverina

AS FORECAST, rain has returned to the eastern Riverina, soaking parched paddocks and lifting spirits as it streams in from the northeast.

This morning has brought much-needed relief to the drought-stricken region, with residents waking to the sound of liquid gold landing on their roof.

It’s the heaviest falls the region has seen in 100 days.

Widespread falls of 30-40mm are expected, more than the last three months combined.

The steady soaking offers a glimmer of hope to Riverina farmers, who have been trucking in water and fodder at enormous cost.

Some have been forced to offload livestock they can no longer afford to feed, while others have spent the past few weeks dry sowing—seeding into dust—in a desperate bid to keep production on track, gambling on the hope of late-breaking rain.

It’s not drought-breaking yet, but it’s a start — and it’s lifting spirits right across the region.

More than half of Junee Shire is officially in drought, with the remaining 45.4 per cent classified as “drought-affected”.

The figures position Junee as the third most drought-impacted local government area in New South Wales—behind only Cootamundra-Gundagai (76.7%) and the Snowy Valleys (66.5%).