Northern Victoria is enduring a dry spring, with rainfall totals over the past two months less than half of the average.

Shepparton recorded only 15mm for September (compared to an average of about 40mm), and only 26mm for August (average 50mm).

It was a similar story for Echuca, where only 13mm fell in September (average 38mm), and only 24mm in August (average 41mm)

For Benalla, September recorded only 28mm (average 63mm) and 30mm in August (71mm average).

At Mangalore, only 18mm fell in September, compared to the average of 53mm.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting between October and December, above average rainfall for much of the eastern half of Australia including an elevated flood risk in parts of the east, with warmer than average days and nights across most of the country.

Meanwhile, four northern Victorian irrigation systems received a boost in their seasonal determinations on October 1.

The Victorian Murray system increases from 73 per cent of high-reliability water shares to 80 per cent HRWS.

The Goulburn and Loddon systems increase from 47 per cent HRWS to 51 per cent HRWS, while the Broken system lifts from 17 per cent HRWS to 22 per cent HRWS.

The Campaspe system remains at 100 per cent HRWS, and the Bullarook system is unchanged at zero per cent HRWS.

No system has a low-reliability water share allocation.

Northern Victoria resource manager Mark Bailey said the allocation improvements came from continued flows into the major storages.

“Rainfall since the last update has kept the flows into the storages above our conservative estimates,” Dr Bailey said.

“This provided additional water for allocation.

“As the Goulburn seasonal determination is now above 50 per cent HRWS, the early season reserve is now fully established. All resource improvements will now contribute to seasonal determination increases.

NSW water allocations

General security licences in the NSW Murray system have received an allocation increase of eight per cent of their entitlement.

The eight per cent increase brings the cumulative general security allocation for the 2025-26 water year to 18 per cent.

Fodder prices

Dairy Australia and the AFIA reports cereal hay prices averaging between $370 to $490/t., lucerne hay from $410 to $570/t and pasture hay selling for between $280 to $440/t in the Goulburn and Murray regions.

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Sunday, 19th October 2025

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