Oberon – which suffered through what some said was one of the worst droughts in memory before the recent welcome autumn break – was added to the NSW Government’s expanded $14.6 million emergency drought assistance package. 

The expansion of the measures was made based upon the advice of the independent Regional Assistance Advisory Committee.

The funding package is backdated to February 1, 2014.

Tarana farmer Robert Webb said producers in the region were disapp-ointed when they were not included in the initial $7.6m package announced last November.

“We thought we were as bad as anywhere in the state, so we lobbied hard and [Minister for Primary Industries] Katrina Hodgkinson took our concerns on board.”

However, Mr Webb, who runs merinos, beef cattle and a handful of prime lambs at his “Wonga” property, said he was disappointed the measures had only been backdated to February.

“February was when we started to see some rain coming in. In effect, we had spent most of our money on fodder and moving livestock off prior to that date, so we will get very little assistance unless it is backdated to October last year,” he said.

Mr Webb said he had to sell off around 20 per cent of his stock.

“We had to sell off a lot of non-core stock, non-breeding stock,” he said.

“We probably bought, for across our two properties, eight truck-loads of fodder when we would normally produce our own fodder.”

While the prolonged dry was over, Mr Webb said it would have a long-term impact on profits.

“It can take a number of years to get over such a dry spell. It throws the productive system into disarray.

“We are concerned, as the Bureau of Meteorology has said there could be a return of an El Nino weather pattern in late winter, which could hamper recovery from this latest dry spell.”

While the current backdate would provide him with little reimbursement for transport costs, Mr Webb said he still welcomed the measures.

He said he understood the state government had a budget and expressed his thanks to Member for Bathurst Paul Toole and to Ms Hodgkinson.

He said he would have liked to see Bathurst and Lithgow included in the package.