Large areas of eastern Australia suffered generally drier than normal conditions from mid-1979 through to the end of 1981 (with the driest period from June '79 to December '80). For the 10-month period from April 1982 to February 1983, almost all of eastern Australia was severely affected and large parts of south-eastern Australia suffered their lowest rainfall on record. The worst losses occurred during this latter period, accounting for an amount in excess of $3 billion of the total estimated loss.
The impact of the 'Great Dry' was felt most in farming areas with massive crop & livestock losses. Dust storms caused the loss of millions of dollars worth of topsoil. A total of 86 million sheep and 14 million cattle were deprived of adequate food and water (many destroyed); wheat production fell by 37%, with similar falls in production of barley, oats, rice, cotton and sugar.
Unemployment in rural areas rose, reaching 40% in some areas. Water storages virtually dried up (eg by February 1983 in NSW, the Blowering, Burrinjuck, Hume, Wyangala and Keepit Reservoirs had all been reduced to less than 6% of full capacity). The drought broke in most areas by April following good rains which started in March 1983 and lasted into May.
The drought conditions and high winds caused duststorms and on one occasion a huge cloud of dust covered Melbourne in choking darkness, during the mid-afternoon of February 8, 1983.
VicRail (the State raiway system) declared losses of $50m due to shortfall in grain cartage alone. In Melbourne, houses were damaged by cracking walls due to shrinking of soil foundations.
|