Although Birdsville beef producers Geoff and Bev Morton are contemplating mustering their bullocks to higher ground with a jetski and believe it will be another month before they can get them out to market, they are welcoming the challenge.
The pair at Roseberth station currently have water-front views from their homestead, which sits just 30 metres above the flooded Diamantina River.
"Rain at this time of the year is unusual, but we won't knock any back," Mr Morton said. "It has disrupted our cattle work but it is not an inconvenience.”
He said the season is the best since 2010, but the drought was far from broken, and most would be looking for good summer rains in February and March to grow a good body of feed.
Mr Morton is hoping to muster and truck out four to eight decks of culled cows and feeder steers this Sunday to consign them to Tuesday's Roma store sale, weather permitting.
At the moment he is not in a position to truck prime bullocks away.
"The paddocks where the bullocks run is very wet, but I can muster them to higher ground using a jetski, but it will be another month before we can get them out,' he said.
Quilpie-based livestock agent, Tony Lilburne, GDL, said the wet weather was not impacting on producers so far.
"Most are using the chance of having feed to fatten their cattle after 15 long dry years," he said. "This rain will give them all good sub-soil moisture to help grow summer grasses, which has already started to come away in areas around Quilpie and Jundah."
