General News
13 June, 2025
Rain, Rain, come again
Last weekend's much-needed rain was welcomed, but it was not quite enough for farmers as the waiting game sets in.
Warracknabeal saw 11 millimetres of rain on Saturday, June 7, followed by another 9.2 millimetres on Sunday, June 8.
Farmers haven't seen a downpour like this since April 26, when 11.2 millimetres was recorded.
Beulah farmer Mark Williams received 12 millimetres over the weekend but said they need to see another 20 millimetres to help get through the season.
"It's stopped the dust from blowing," he said.
"But it's not quite enough.
"It's too early to tell if it has helped."
Mr Williams said he's hoping to see growth in the next two weeks.
"We'll see if it was enough to germinate the seeds that are already there," he said.
The last decent downpour over ANZAC Day weekend saw five to ten per cent of his canola paddock come up.
"One half of the crop is poking up," he said.
Mr Williams hopes the rain will get the crop back on track.
Further north in Hopetoun, farmer Steve Hallam has finished dry sowing and is now waiting to see what crops "get up".
"It was the first rain since cropping started," he said.
"We're hoping to get a bit more, but we're grateful to get something."
Mr Hallam said that in the next eight to nine days, they hope to see some sprouting.
"We have shorter days and colder days, so the ground stays moist, which helps to get things up," he said.
"We're just praying the seeds are not mouldy and will actually sprout.
"We just need to get really good rain to put some confidence into the season."
This weekend's forecast for Warracknabeal predicts frost, with only 2 millimetres of rain expected across Saturday and Sunday, with similar conditions forecasted for Beulah and Hopetoun.