Bracing for a Bom-shell on drought

Possible El Nino weather event

THE State Government has been briefed by the Bureau of Meteorology about a possible devastating El Nino weather event which could be catastrophic for Queensland farmers who have already suffered five years of drought.

More than half of Queensland remains drought-declared with some shires in the west without rain since 2013.

In some regions, including Cunnamulla, deep in the state’s southwest where sheep and cattle are a critical part of the local economy, populations have been decimated and property prices have plunged.

Paroo Shire mayor Lindsay Murdoch has seen unimproved land values plummet 40 per cent as the worst drought in a century tightens its grip.

“This is now comparable to the Federation Drought in our region,” Cr Murdoch said, referring to the heartbreaking drought which gripped Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“We have lost around 35 per cent of our population over the past 20 years and that, as well as the recent loss in unimproved land value, is directly related to the drought.”

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries says there are 23 shires and four part shires in drought, or 57 per cent of the state.

That’s a vast improvement on the situation in 2017 when 88 per cent of the state was un- der drought.

But there are deep concerns within the Bureau of Meteorology and other climate research organisations that there is now a 50 per cent chance of an El Niño forming in the latter half of 2018.

“This is double the normal chance,” a DAF spokesman said.

While not every El Niño results in serious drought, throughout inland and eastern Australia it is usually associated with below average rainfall especially during winter, spring and through to midsummer, the spokesman said.

“El Nino events are also associated with a later start to the summer monsoon, an increased risk of late frosts for the key wheat growing regions and above average daytime temperatures.

“If an El Nino develops there is an increased risk the dry conditions may continue into 2019.’’

This long dry spell is deeply frustrating to Queensland primary producers who are witnessing a massive boom in agricultural commodity prices.

Candice Roberts, from Victoria Station in the southeastern shire of Murweh, headquartered in Charleville, said the property had not received any meaningful rainfall since the Winter of 2016.

With about 5000 sheep and a further 800 cattle on agistment off the property, the Roberts have been handfeeding sheep since last July, and are desperate for rain.