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You beauty, kids it's raining at last
26 May 2004
In the parched lands of New South Wales' central west, rain began to fall at 2am yesterday on Narramine Station. But owners Glenn and Jodi Browning didn't start celebrating too early - their hopes have been dashed before. The family waited and watched, and the rain kept falling, turning dust to mud. By midday, there was 40mm on the ground and for the first time in over two years the Brownings felt there was hope for a decent Winter crop. By evening, 50mm had fallen and the kids were happy to splash in puddles they don't often see.
The area around the town of Narromine, about 40km west of the city of Dubbo, has been classified as being in Exceptional Circumstances for the past two years. With no cashflow, all that kept the Brownings going was government assistance and the rise in land and water values. In a normal year, 600mm of rain falls in the Narramine district.
The Australian, 26/5/04, page 1.
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