Queensland farmers have tallied up their rainfall totals for 2019 and discovered, for some of them, it was record-breaking for all the wrong reasons.

Key points: One Dirranbandi farmer says he's only received 15–30 per cent of his average rainfall since 2012

One Dirranbandi farmer says he's only received 15–30 per cent of his average rainfall since 2012 With no crop since 2016, he's preparing for the next drought by diversifying and building fodder storage

With no crop since 2016, he's preparing for the next drought by diversifying and building fodder storage Another sheep and cattle farmer in western Queensland says last year he recorded the lowest rainfall on his property since 1906

Dirranbandi farmer Martin Sullivan measured a total of 60.5 millimetres of rain for the year, making it the worst year he's ever had.

Between 2012 and 2019 his property, 'Tooroora', measured an average 475mm or 19 inches of rain.

"Pretty much from 2012 until now, we've only been getting about 15 to 30 per cent of our annual rainfall," Mr Sullivan said.

"Probably the highest rainfall event in one hit has been 25mm and then nothing for months and months, and then we'd have another 18mm and then 6mm, which doesn't help anybody or anything.

"We haven't had a crop since 2016 … and as far as the grass goes, I've got a nine-year-old son who's never seen green grass.

"In February 2019, we had 19mm of rain and we went out feeding the sheep and he caught a glimpse of a sandhill with a little green pick on it and he said 'Dad, what's that green over there?'

"He can't remember much from his first few years so he's never seen green grass, poor little fella."

This paddock near Dirranbandi has not had a crop in it since 2016. ( ABC Southern Queensland: Nathan Morris )

Drought-proofing plan

But instead of just waiting for rain, Mr Sullivan said he had started preparing himself for the next drought by building enough storage to hold feed for up to five years.

While he predominately grows grain and cotton, he has diversified into sheep and cattle as part of his drought-proofing plan.

"I'd like to trade 6,000 to 10,000 sheep every year and maybe 1,000 cattle," he said.

"I'm probably going to devote 2,000–3,000 acres [800–1,200 hectares] to fodder crops for stock and feed that off and try and grow as much hay as I can.

"So we've put in silage pits and more hay sheds and a couple more silos just to store more fodder, just so we can put a [drought feeding] program in place for 12 or 18 months with the stock.

"I think everybody usually has enough fodder in place for six or 12 months, but now I think you need to arm yourself for four or five years to be sustainable out here."

Part of Martin Sullivan's drought-proofing plan is to feedlot sheep on his Dirranbandi property. ( ABC Southern Queensland: Nathan Morris )

Worst rainfall in 113 years

Will Roberts runs a merino stud and a commercial cattle herd on his property 'Victoria Downs' near Morven in western Queensland.

He said 2019 recorded the worst rainfall total in 113 years.

"For 2019 we had 174.7mm, which is our lowest rainfall since 1906," he said.

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"We're in 21 inch [525mm] rainfall country and we haven't had it for a long time.

"Our last good rain was in 2016 when we had 647mm, and then in 2017 we had a record low which was 214mm. 2018 was lower again at 187mm, so it's been quite an extraordinary run of very low rainfall events."

The ongoing drought has forced Mr Roberts to destock, but he still described his family as "lucky".

"People have continued farming through that period and with commodity prices we haven't done too badly, so it hasn't all been a disaster," he said.

"We've reduced our stocking rate quite considerably this year, but that's what you've got to do.

"We've probably got 100 to 120 cows at the moment and that's down from about 500.

"We have about 3,000 sheep, so we're about two-thirds stocked from the sheep side of things."

This photo was taken in 2016, the last time Will Roberts had green grass on his property 'Victoria Downs' near Morven. ( ABC News: Lindy Kerin )

Darling Downs more like a desert

A Darling Downs beef and hay farmer said the huge cracks in the black soil were a constant reminder that the past 12 months have been the driest period he has ever seen.

Warren Folker has been on his 138ha farm 'Kilowen' near Wyreema, south-west of Toowoomba, all his life and said the 2019 rainfall total of 224mm was the lowest his family had ever recorded.

The former dairy farmer described the landscape as "desolate", save a few hectares he had managed to irrigate and even that was becoming prohibitive.

"Normally you'd be able to plant on 40mm of rain. Now, I think you'd probably be looking at 150mm of rain before you'd even think about getting any moisture because the subsoil moisture is just not there now," he said.

Mr Folker said the cracks in the soil were incredibly deep and it was a real hazard when you were working in the paddock.

"That's the worry with young calves too with their feet going down the cracks and we've heard a few different cases of a broken ankle with people because their foot has just fallen in the crack — it's that bad," he said.

Cracks in the black soil around Toowoomba are becoming a hazard for both animals and people. ( ABC Rural: Arlie Felton-Taylor )

Westbrook Creek, once a permanent waterway, has also run completely dry.

Mr Folker said it was the first time he had seen that.

"It has been low but we've always had little pockets where the springs break out or you might get a waterhole … our part there now is just absolutely nothing and hasn't been for quite a while," he said.

"It's going to take a long time before it even looks like running again. It's just devastating the way it has been and we're not the only ones and there are areas worse."

Length of drought is what makes it so bad

In the Bundaberg region, canegrower Allan Dingle has recorded around 300mm in the past year — that's about a third of his average rainfall.

"The last rainfall event that was more than 100mm was November 2018," Mr Dingle said.

"I think we had a 60mm fall at once at Easter in 2019 and in all other months we had around 20 to 30mm."

Mr Dingle said this was the worst year for rainfall he had ever seen.

"This is the driest that I can recall and from what my mum tells me that's the driest she's ever seen it here as well," he said.

Laura Dingle has been in charge of the family's rainfall records for the past three decades. ( ABC Wide Bay: Megan Hughes )

He explained the length of time between rainfall was what made it so bad.

"There have been other times that have been as dry but not for such a prolonged period," Mr Dingle said.

The high temperatures and strong winds had resulted in increased evaporation making it even harder to irrigate.

"The ground is so parched now. Even applying around 50mm per irrigation, in four or five days that water is non-existent," he said.

Winton Shire annual rainfall anomaly

In far-west Queensland some would be mistaken for thinking it had been a good season if you went on the rainfall figures alone but, according to the Mayor of Winton, that's not the case.

Cr Gavin Baskett said only half the shire got above-average rain and that was in the north-west portion, which was hit with the devastating monsoonal low and flooding in early 2019.

"Some places out there got nearly 30 inches [762mm] in those 10 days … and quite often that amount of rain does more damage than good and as we know there were up to 70,000 head of cattle lost, which is just phenomenal," he said.

Around 70,000 head of cattle died in the weather event, including these cattle at Bernfels Station, 70km from Winton. ( Supplied: Tahnee Oakhill )

Cr Baskett said, at the time, his shire was really split in two.

"You were talking to the media about how much devastation and rain was in one part of the shire but in the back of your mind were the poor buggers who had only a couple of inches out of that initial rain event," he said.

The Winton Shire has been drought-declared since 2013 and even with the early monsoonal rain and flooding event it has been dry ever since and the grass response has not been good.

In the final Winton rainfall tallies, some farms received more rain than traditionally higher rainfall regions such as the Darling Downs.

The Mayor said, while it was very dry in the east, those regions have the added issue of severe water shortages, which was not as big an issue in his shire.

"That's probably one thing Winton has got. We've got plenty of water in the ground with the Great Artesian Basin."