Bush goes urban at Ekka show meet-up
THERE were people to meet and stories to tell at Ray White Rural's City and Bush night at the Breakfast Creek Hotel for the opening of the Ekka.
From Darwin to Baryulgil, from Cloncurry to Clophier’s Creek, rural property owners and guests joined with the Ray White Rural team to kick over the traces and swap notes.
Naturally a great deal of the conversation at the event centred around the drought and its effects.
However, guests were optimistic about it and said every day longer in drought was a day closer to when it was going to rain.
“It was a good mix of people and they had a lot to talk about,’’ Ray White’s Peter Douglas said.
“They were talking about the end of the drought, how the country is going, the banks ... a myriad of conversations.
“Queensland has seen 66% of the state in drought for five to seven years.
“People don’t appreciate how dry the country has been for a long, long time.
“It has been tough times in the bush for a long time: it’s good that people are finally recognising it.’’
Mr Douglas said the drought had affected different parts of Australia in different ways.
There is grass in patches, especially along the coast of New South Wales and Queensland as well as in the Top End.
“The market is unknown in a lot of places,’’ he said. “If you buy rural properties in the drought you know what it’s going to look like at its worst.
“The market for those properties built on grass is very strong ... if they have been able to continue to stock their land.
“We sold five places around Beaudesert last week (August 6) and the market was so strong.
“But drier properties are difficult at the moment.’’