Farmers in Victoria are grappling with a severe drought, prompting urgent calls for government intervention as many face overwhelming hardship. Duncan Barber, a sheep producer from Metcalfe, described this drought as the worst he has encountered in four decades, noting that the area has received a mere 40 millimetres of rain since the start of the year. The last significant rainfall was in November of the previous year.
The impact on the farm is dire. Barber’s sheep flock is consuming approximately 50 tonnes of barley every two weeks, as their paddocks have turned to dust. Additionally, the ewes are struggling to give birth, leading to abandoned lambs—a reflective sign of the dire conditions.
Barber emphasised the need for official recognition of the drought, urging the government to publicly declare it and to take action accordingly. “We really need the government to stand up and say, yes, Victoria is in a drought. And if they do declare it, then they’re going to have to do something about it,” he stated.
This drought marks an unprecedented crisis, with Barber expressing that it is more severe than the catastrophic drought experienced at the turn of the millennium. He lamented that this year marks the first time they have run out of drinking water, a situation he described as difficult to accept.
Despite the challenges, Barber remains committed to sustaining the family farm, although he’s growing weary of constant reassurances that rain is on the way, which have not materialised over the last several months. His plea for support highlights the desperate situation faced by many farmers across Victoria as they battle the overwhelming effects of this prolonged drought.