THE best sound in the world – rain on the roof – greeted many in Queensland's central west as they woke on Tuesday morning, bringing relief and hope if not breaking their severe drought.
Marion Langdon lives at Tiree, on Blackall’s western outskirts, and measured 38mm, her largest fall since February 2014.
“One excited person here, way too pumped up to sleep,” she posted in the early hours of the morning.
While she said it was by no means drought-breaking she hopes it signals the start to a wet April for the west.
Together with other family members, Marion currently has the last 90 head of their cattle making use of temporary relief on a council reserve and they’re not sure what their next move will be if there’s no more rain.
Neighbour George Milson, at Woodbine, north of Blackall was in disbelief at his fall of 34mm, saying “there was no garden hose nearby so it must be right”.
South west of Blackall, at Tarbarah, Ranald and Rachel Noble reported 28mm of overnight rain and were so excited they “cracked a bottle”.
Phil Spackman at Patrisha Downs, south of Ilfracombe, had a fall of 32.5mm while Wynstay nearly next door had 31mm.
Doug Coleman was reserved as to the effect of that rain, saying it would probably only grow pick for kangaroos.
Rivington, 90km west of Blackall recorded 12mm, the Banks family’s biggest fall for 2015 to date and second biggest fall since March 2014.
Further south, Binny Pegler at Patricia Park, Adavale had 5.5mm, which would “settle the dust”.
The highest overnight fall recorded was 40mm at Chesterton, south east of Tambo.
The Bureau of Meteorology has an optimistic forecast for the region for the rest of the week, saying that instability was moving in with an upper trough.
The spokeswoman cautioned that storm rain was by its nature isolated and general relief could not be guaranteed.
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
