Small amount of optimism in southern area

Mr Creek, who farms properties south of Boyup Brook and in Margaret River, recognises the south west region is experiencing a long, dry spell but isn't letting the lack of rain get him down.

"I am not trying to be sceptical, but personally we're frustrated because we're feeding sheep and cattle like crazy," Mr Creek said.

"Everything is dry and we're running out of water, but there's a small amount of optimism."

Mr Creek and his team run about 11,000 sheep and 200 cattle across 2200 hectares and he recognises as a 50:50 operator that his cropping program start date isn't as significant as some of his broadacre only farming neighbours, and that it was still April when interviewed by Farm Weekly.

"But I've never seen so many dry dams," he said.

"I had some of the local guys with diggers digging out dams, I think we've cleaned 12 dams out, and there's a few others that are dry with no point cleaning them.

"Water is our biggest issue."

Mr Creek said they have been dry seeding pasture and lupins.

"We made the call not to put canola in," he said.

"I might be doing the wrong thing there, but we decided to have a break for a year and do some more cereals when we get some rain.

"We did canola last year, but yields were down, we didn't get a finish."

Mr Creek said he was speaking with a neighbour recently about the current conditions and the decision to make a start.

"My neighbour said generally around May 15 is the old school break," he said.

"So really as far as a break goes, we're early.

"But because it's been so dry, including the dry spell in the spring, our profile has no moisture whatsoever.

"We've only had 370mm, which is low for a high rainfall area, it didn't fill dams, we had no run off, we didn't have any real thunderstorms either, but I think we'll be OK for feed, just, but I have made a few plans just in case."

October 2 was the last time Mr Creek's property experienced rain last year.

"We had five millimetres on October first and 5mm on the second, a total of 10mm then nothing until we got 5mm on March 4 - that's it, that's all we've had which is very unusual," he said.

"2021 was a ripper year - in February we had 62mm, March we had 23mm and in April there was 90mm.

"In 2023 we had 25mm in March and 37mm in April.

"Our annual rainfall total was 370mm, we used to get between 600 and 650mm, currently our five year average is 491mm.

"The older farmers from around here always say we need 600mm, and they are saying they haven't seen this before where the rain cut off in October and it's been dry for such a long period.

"There is talk of rain here on May 4, I will believe it when I see it, but I am hopeful."

Mr Creek said it was important to keep his chin up.

"As an ex-agronomist, I know there's no moisture but it will come, it's Boyup Brook - even though this year is totally different," he said.

"You have to get up in the morning and tell yourself to be positive, and remind yourself of the positives, family, good mates and today is a beautiful day."