RAINFALL has been so patchy across the North West that some producers are still crippled by drought, yet others nearby are in a more optimistic position.
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Producers are praying for one last burst of rain to help ease dry conditions in the region before the wet season is officially over.
Cattle station owners Marcus and Shelly Curr are like many producers who have faced hardship through the long drought.
Two of their stations, Yorkshire and Wensley at Julia Creek, will have no cattle left by the end of August after they complete destocking.
But at Yelvertoft station, between Mount Isa and Camooweal, they have 8000 cattle and are likely to maintain that level throughout the year.
Mrs Curr said despite two of her family’s cattle stations being located in a drought-stricken district, they were still doing better than some station owners in the North West.
“There are places in the districts that are worse off than we are,” she said.
Mrs Curr said there was a combined number of 9000 cattle on the stations but now there was only 500 cattle at Yorkshire and Wensley.
The long, drawn-out drought not only affects cattle and the land, but people working on stations.
This will result in casual staff on the stations being let go as there will be no work until they receive much-needed rain.
Staff that live on the station and work full-time will remain employed.
Mrs Curr said there was no grass to feed the cattle because of the drought, meaning some staff were no longer needed.
“Yorkshire and Wensley, they will make it through until August, when it will be destocked,” she said.
“We will wait until the wet season, hopefully it will rain and we will restock.”
The biggest hurdle that they face will be financially, Mrs Curr said.
“Freight and having cattle on cattle agistment is the biggest cost,” she said.
“In the end we will have about 7000 cattle in agistment.”
“Basically we are alright, we have a plan. It’s not ideal, but it’s not horrendous.”
This wet season, Yelvertoft received 16 inches of rain, while Yorkshire and Wensley stations at Julia Creek received 10 inches.