It's the only home Judy has ever known. Now floods have destroyed it again
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
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The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
No perfect season in a land of opportunity, but farmers can bank on each other
Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands.
The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- The Advertiser
It's the only home Judy has ever known. Now floods have destroyed it again
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable. The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences. "She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in." Ms Gill suffers from dementia. She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented. Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend. The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event. The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21. Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm. Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale. Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods. That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings. Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens. "Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill. Eventually, she had no choice. The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag. She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water. She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days. "She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill. "Her house and her animals were her life," she said. While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed. Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life. She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103. She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally. For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service. "Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said. "She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself." The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property. Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said. "It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady." READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable. The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences. "She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in." Ms Gill suffers from dementia. She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented. Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend. The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event. The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21. Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm. Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale. Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods. That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings. Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens. "Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill. Eventually, she had no choice. The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag. She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water. She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days. "She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill. "Her house and her animals were her life," she said. While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed. Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life. She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103. She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally. For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service. "Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said. "She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself." The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property. Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said. "It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady." READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable. The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences. "She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in." Ms Gill suffers from dementia. She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented. Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend. The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event. The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21. Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm. Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale. Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods. That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings. Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens. "Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill. Eventually, she had no choice. The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag. She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water. She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days. "She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill. "Her house and her animals were her life," she said. While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed. Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life. She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103. She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally. For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service. "Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said. "She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself." The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property. Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said. "It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady." READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable. The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences. "She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in." Ms Gill suffers from dementia. She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented. Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend. The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event. The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21. Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm. Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale. Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods. That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings. Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens. "Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill. Eventually, she had no choice. The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag. She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water. She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days. "She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill. "Her house and her animals were her life," she said. While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed. Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life. She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103. She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally. For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service. "Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said. "She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself." The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property. Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said. "It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady." READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- The Advertiser
With Labor handed another three years, drought must be the political focus
Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by ACM national rural affairs reporter Jason Gregory. Severe droughts flattened farm production every 18 years or so in Australia before becoming more frequent since 1994. The Millennium drought was a 15-year horror show for many that ended in 2010 with the arrival of La Nina, before a sustained dry took hold three years later that became the 2017-2019 drought, before La Nina again rained hope and spiked production. But the period was dampened by Covid and geopolitical strife that broke supply chains and sent inputs sky high. And it didn't stop raining as the eastern seaboard was flooded and it has barely stopped in Queensland and northern NSW, where farmers this week were again moving livestock from swollen rivers and authorities again delivered industry-specific emergency responses. Further south, Victorian, Tasmanian and SA farmers started tapping water tanks two years ago, while 18pc of west and south-west NSW is now drought-affected. A recent Grain Producer Australia meeting heard growers were dry seeding and waiting, anxiously, for rain. Livestock markets are being bombarded as producers, many still restocking from the last destock, are again forced into tough decisions as importing water and feed becomes untenable. Farm leaders are calling on state and federal leaders to visit these areas - and they must. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told this masthead that she would in the coming weeks. The face-to-face will hopefully provide insight into the private kitchen table conversations farming families have about how bad things really are. And, as industry leaders take to social media imploring farmers to hold on, how many have had a gutful? Any visits would also send a message to rural communities that proactive policies, strategies and resources are on the way. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin correctly points out that, while producers know how to manage and prepare for dry periods, they still require tools and programs to keep the nation fed. Federal Labor is honing well-resourced battle plans, based around mitigating the effects of climate change, to fight future droughts. But, now the election is won, it must shelve talking points about growing market access, supermarket price gouging and buying Australian to skirt Trump's tariffs, until it takes a health check of the nation's food bowls. Nationals MP for Riverina, Michael McCormack, said "our cattle and sheep cannot live on dust, and nor can our farmers". We hope that governments are ready to meet the challenge. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by ACM national rural affairs reporter Jason Gregory. Severe droughts flattened farm production every 18 years or so in Australia before becoming more frequent since 1994. The Millennium drought was a 15-year horror show for many that ended in 2010 with the arrival of La Nina, before a sustained dry took hold three years later that became the 2017-2019 drought, before La Nina again rained hope and spiked production. But the period was dampened by Covid and geopolitical strife that broke supply chains and sent inputs sky high. And it didn't stop raining as the eastern seaboard was flooded and it has barely stopped in Queensland and northern NSW, where farmers this week were again moving livestock from swollen rivers and authorities again delivered industry-specific emergency responses. Further south, Victorian, Tasmanian and SA farmers started tapping water tanks two years ago, while 18pc of west and south-west NSW is now drought-affected. A recent Grain Producer Australia meeting heard growers were dry seeding and waiting, anxiously, for rain. Livestock markets are being bombarded as producers, many still restocking from the last destock, are again forced into tough decisions as importing water and feed becomes untenable. Farm leaders are calling on state and federal leaders to visit these areas - and they must. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told this masthead that she would in the coming weeks. The face-to-face will hopefully provide insight into the private kitchen table conversations farming families have about how bad things really are. And, as industry leaders take to social media imploring farmers to hold on, how many have had a gutful? Any visits would also send a message to rural communities that proactive policies, strategies and resources are on the way. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin correctly points out that, while producers know how to manage and prepare for dry periods, they still require tools and programs to keep the nation fed. Federal Labor is honing well-resourced battle plans, based around mitigating the effects of climate change, to fight future droughts. But, now the election is won, it must shelve talking points about growing market access, supermarket price gouging and buying Australian to skirt Trump's tariffs, until it takes a health check of the nation's food bowls. Nationals MP for Riverina, Michael McCormack, said "our cattle and sheep cannot live on dust, and nor can our farmers". We hope that governments are ready to meet the challenge. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by ACM national rural affairs reporter Jason Gregory. Severe droughts flattened farm production every 18 years or so in Australia before becoming more frequent since 1994. The Millennium drought was a 15-year horror show for many that ended in 2010 with the arrival of La Nina, before a sustained dry took hold three years later that became the 2017-2019 drought, before La Nina again rained hope and spiked production. But the period was dampened by Covid and geopolitical strife that broke supply chains and sent inputs sky high. And it didn't stop raining as the eastern seaboard was flooded and it has barely stopped in Queensland and northern NSW, where farmers this week were again moving livestock from swollen rivers and authorities again delivered industry-specific emergency responses. Further south, Victorian, Tasmanian and SA farmers started tapping water tanks two years ago, while 18pc of west and south-west NSW is now drought-affected. A recent Grain Producer Australia meeting heard growers were dry seeding and waiting, anxiously, for rain. Livestock markets are being bombarded as producers, many still restocking from the last destock, are again forced into tough decisions as importing water and feed becomes untenable. Farm leaders are calling on state and federal leaders to visit these areas - and they must. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told this masthead that she would in the coming weeks. The face-to-face will hopefully provide insight into the private kitchen table conversations farming families have about how bad things really are. And, as industry leaders take to social media imploring farmers to hold on, how many have had a gutful? Any visits would also send a message to rural communities that proactive policies, strategies and resources are on the way. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin correctly points out that, while producers know how to manage and prepare for dry periods, they still require tools and programs to keep the nation fed. Federal Labor is honing well-resourced battle plans, based around mitigating the effects of climate change, to fight future droughts. But, now the election is won, it must shelve talking points about growing market access, supermarket price gouging and buying Australian to skirt Trump's tariffs, until it takes a health check of the nation's food bowls. Nationals MP for Riverina, Michael McCormack, said "our cattle and sheep cannot live on dust, and nor can our farmers". We hope that governments are ready to meet the challenge. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by ACM national rural affairs reporter Jason Gregory. Severe droughts flattened farm production every 18 years or so in Australia before becoming more frequent since 1994. The Millennium drought was a 15-year horror show for many that ended in 2010 with the arrival of La Nina, before a sustained dry took hold three years later that became the 2017-2019 drought, before La Nina again rained hope and spiked production. But the period was dampened by Covid and geopolitical strife that broke supply chains and sent inputs sky high. And it didn't stop raining as the eastern seaboard was flooded and it has barely stopped in Queensland and northern NSW, where farmers this week were again moving livestock from swollen rivers and authorities again delivered industry-specific emergency responses. Further south, Victorian, Tasmanian and SA farmers started tapping water tanks two years ago, while 18pc of west and south-west NSW is now drought-affected. A recent Grain Producer Australia meeting heard growers were dry seeding and waiting, anxiously, for rain. Livestock markets are being bombarded as producers, many still restocking from the last destock, are again forced into tough decisions as importing water and feed becomes untenable. Farm leaders are calling on state and federal leaders to visit these areas - and they must. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told this masthead that she would in the coming weeks. The face-to-face will hopefully provide insight into the private kitchen table conversations farming families have about how bad things really are. And, as industry leaders take to social media imploring farmers to hold on, how many have had a gutful? Any visits would also send a message to rural communities that proactive policies, strategies and resources are on the way. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin correctly points out that, while producers know how to manage and prepare for dry periods, they still require tools and programs to keep the nation fed. Federal Labor is honing well-resourced battle plans, based around mitigating the effects of climate change, to fight future droughts. But, now the election is won, it must shelve talking points about growing market access, supermarket price gouging and buying Australian to skirt Trump's tariffs, until it takes a health check of the nation's food bowls. Nationals MP for Riverina, Michael McCormack, said "our cattle and sheep cannot live on dust, and nor can our farmers". We hope that governments are ready to meet the challenge.
