![A section of the Diamantina flood country from the air. Picture: Karen Brook A section of the Diamantina flood country from the air. Picture: Karen Brook](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/88uitQDCBZnXA8enwGJ5Zd/5fd33ac7-4c85-4556-9cf6-2ec87ca055f3.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
There's been a mixed reaction in Queensland's far south west to the news that they're no longer officially in drought.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
The state's last two local government areas in drought, Bulloo and Diamantina shires, had that status revoked last week, announced by Agriculture Minister Mark Furner during Beef 2024.
The two together made up almost 10 per cent of Queensland's land mass, and they'd first been drought declared in 2013.
Geoff Pike, who lives at Thargomindah, said he was surprised it had taken so long to be declared drought-free, considering the seasons producers had been having for a couple of years.
"Everything is fat - even Moomba is getting four or five inches," he said. "They don't have an average rainfall because sometimes it doesn't rain there."
Mr Pike said the ongoing good season was lifting spirits everywhere.
Places to the south of Thargomindah had received another 50mm last week, which Mr Pike said would take them "to the footsteps of summer".
However, Birdsville producer Geoff Morton said the conditions being experienced were only one good year.
"We probably need three or four of these to bring the country back to where it used to be, with soil moisture," he said.
His Diamantina River country is looking good but that covers 400 square miles of his 2000 square mile property, Roseberth.
![Vegetation flourishing in Diamantina River channels near Birdsville. PIcture: Karen Brook Vegetation flourishing in Diamantina River channels near Birdsville. PIcture: Karen Brook](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/88uitQDCBZnXA8enwGJ5Zd/c687c850-8e8f-4058-8b45-7d53646141b1.jpg/r0_75_800_601_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"While we're having a good year at the moment, we're only a month or two away from drought," he said. "If we put all our cattle in there, it will be gone in six months."
Mr Morton said Roseberth itself had recorded slightly below average rain and his high country had dry feed.
"It was very unusual when that cyclone came across from Townsville, went into the Northern Territory and then came back across my rain gauge," he said. "It's always a surprise when it does rain out here - a lack of rain is something we live with."
As far as losing access to freight subsidies under the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme, which ceases to operate now that Queensland is drought-free, Mr Morton said the size of their country meant they were outside most drought parameters.
"We didn't tend to use them. Drought assistance was a bit of a toothless tiger for us," he said.
Diamantina Shire interim CEO Scott Mason said it may be technically true that the shire was drought-free but there were parts of the shire that hadn't had the rain to justify lifting the drought status.
"It may be a bit of a knee-jerk," he said.
"There's been good rain to the east around Diamantina Lakes and north at Marion Downs, but it's patchy at Sandringham, Glengyle, Durrie.
"We talk about wet floods and dry floods - this year is probably a combination of both, so the repeal may be a bit premature."
Drought review ongoing
Now that former drought assistance measures have ended, Agriculture Minister Mark Furner was asked when the outcomes of the review into Queensland's drought declaration process, announced in June 2023, would be made public.
He said that while the recommendations won't be made public until the end of 2024, a key theme identified was that a form of drought recognition must be retained.
The review into Queensland's drought declaration and Local Drought Committee process was undertaken by former AgForce CEO Charles Burke and Mr Furner said he consulted with landholders, LDC members, community groups, peak industry bodies, local government and Queensland government departments and agencies.
"The government is considering the recommendations and expects to have the report made publicly available by the end of 2024," Mr Furner said.
"Implementation of the LDC review will be undertaken in close consultation with industry.
"Given the significant impact of drought on agriculture and regional communities, understanding the spatial distribution of drought as well as the severity of any drought is important for agriculture.
"A key theme identified from the consultation undertaken by Mr Burke was that a form of drought recognition must be retained, given its significant impact on agribusiness and primary producers, as well as the communities they support."
Mr Mason said many of the measures available under the now defunct Drought Relief Assistance Scheme didn't apply to property owners in the state's far west.
"Pastoral companies don't overstock so they may not benefit from freight fodder subsidies, but I would hope they're still eligible for diesel subsidies," he said.
"There are freight imposts on all inputs out here, and those who might benefit from freight subsidies understand what it means to take that away."
Under the state government's new approach to drought, assistance in the form of loans is now available, with a focus on preparedness and resilience.