By MATT NICHOLLS
ANDREW Ross is one of the few exceptions to the rule to graziers off-loading hungry mouths at the saleyards.
The Wandsworth sheep farmer is hanging on to his stock, hoping that January’s often reliable rain arrives in the nick of time.
Having made the move to “Midlands” from Longreach in western Queensland some nine years ago, Mr Ross is no stranger to dry conditions, but said it wouldn’t be long before he joined his neighbours at the saleyards.
“I’ve probably got until the end of the month before I have to sell, but we’d need a lot of rain,” he said.
“Since I came nine years ago, this is the driest its been and they said it was really dry in the year I arrived.”
Mr Ross said the creek that ran through his property, about 20km north-west of Guyra, had dried up, while he was still surving on dams and bore water.
“We just didn’t have any spring growth and our annual rainfall was well down,” he said.
“On an average year, we’ll get around 36 inches (900mm), but this year we only got about 23 inches (575mm).
“We get a bit more rain than what they do in the towns, but we were well down this year.”
Mr Ross said he was surprised the Northern Tablelands hadn’t been declared a drought region.
“There’s been no sign of government help at all,” he said.
“Most people are just battling at the moment.
“Normally if the Government declares a drought they help out with transporting stock or offer low interest loans.
“It would be nice for some acknowledgement.”
