IT IS not often that warnings of a looming cyclone fills communities with hope.

But Queensland’s first tropical cyclone of the season, which has a 50 per cent chance of forming before Friday, could arrive as a somewhat bizarre Christmas miracle for parts of the state suffering through what many farmers say is the worst drought they’ve ever seen.

An extraordinary 86.1 per cent of Queensland is now in drought, and it’s the largest area officially declared as such in the state’s history.

Low rainfall since the summer of 2013 has not only turned fertile pastures into desert wastelands and pushed farmers to the brink of financial ruin, it’s also now causing children to show signs of third-world malnutrition.

If Tropical Cyclone Stan forms, it could bring 300mm to 500mm of rain to some areas of the state in desperate need of a downpour.

And despite the potential destruction of a cyclone, the rain is exactly what farmers have been praying for, said Nils Hay, the acting chief executive of Burke Shire Council near the Queensland-Northern Territory border.

“As much as people don’t want to be flooded in and isolated, at the same time, it is certainly welcome rain for our pastoralists — which is virtually the entire shire — so it is really important that we get that rain and get that assistance that they need there,” he said.

“We are in a state of drought now, but I would envisage that our drought declaration might be reconsidered by the end of all this.”

There’s a slight chance of rain in some parts of the state’s central west on Christmas Day but it would have to be a lot to undo the current misery that has swallowed up the biggest-ever chunk of one of Australia’s most important food bowls.

‘WORST DROUGHT IN LIVING MEMORY’

Oppressively dry conditions in western Queensland have forced huge numbers of primary producers to slash their herd numbers and pull back on grain planting, according to rural lobby group AgForce Queensland.

According to a May survey by the group, half of farmers have seen their gross annual income cut by half, and 17 per cent had their income cut by more than three quarters.

Debt levels are crippling: one in two farmers say their debt had increased by between 25 and 50 per cent during the drought.

And when asked if they believed this was the worst drought in living memory, two-thirds of farmers said yes.

The Queensland government has announced a wide-scale investigation into rural finance as many primary producers brace for their fifth consecutive drought year.

It has also pledged $52.1 million in assistance to farmers in drought-stricken areas. The Federal Government announced its $333 million drought assistance package this year.

However, news.com.au has been told access to relief funds by struggling farmers has been made extremely difficult due to strict eligibility criteria, confusing application processes and, in many cases, months-long waits for urgent payments to trickle through.

On the backdrop of this economic insecurity, families across western Queensland been forced to turn to strict, wartime-like food rations to survive.

Many rely on donations of prepaid Visa cards, food boxes and hampers organised by the Drought Angels based at the Chinchilla Family Support Centre.

Nicki Blackwell, one half of the Drought Angels along with fellow Chinchilla resident Tash Johnston, told news.com.au the dire situation was turning everyday items like shampoo and 99 cent packets of jelly into out-of-reach luxury items.

“Farmers started budget cutting years ago,” she said.

“Things like shampoo and conditioner aren’t on shopping lists. Jelly is a luxury. And we’ve received emails about that, saying thank you so much for the jelly in that box or the Pringles or whatever, because those are luxuries.”

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

Doctors and charity workers have also described seeing children covered in boils and blisters — the early signs of malnutrition.

Dr David Rimmer, from the Central West Hospital and Health Service, said the conditions were causing serious medical problems.

“We are seeing problems like sores on the body which come both from lack of good nutrition and the stresses that come from dealing with this drought,’’ Dr Rimmer told the Courier Mail.

He says the population in Longreach, where the service is based, is under “immense stress” with business income down 60 per cent and about 40 per cent of the town’s workforce having been laid off.

Ms Blackwell said the drought has had a noticeable ripple effect, impacting families, employment and local businesses as well as the farms themselves.

“In so many properties they’re trying to hang on,” she told news.com.au.

“Some (farmers) have destocked — not everybody — but we know properties that have gone from 28,000 down to 200 cows, or they’re trying to hang on to their last hundred sheep, a few rams and ewes.

“A drought will send a millionaire broke. We work with mum and dad farms and they don’t take family vacations, because someone has to stay at home because every day because of the (stock) feeding. It’s taking a toll mentally, physically, emotionally and they try to keep it all from the kids so the kids aren’t burdened with it — it’s tough going.

“People are walking off their property because water is a big issue and without getting into the political side of things, all the red tape and restrictions of putting bores and the cost is just phenomenal.

“I was talking to a farmer the other day, and he said he can only go until April. That’s it. They’re into their fifth year.”

Ms Blackwell said many drought-affected farmers had to make trips into town to fetch drinking water for their families in 10 and 20 litre drums.

There has been small smatterings of rain recently, such as in Barcaldine in central west Queensland, which welcomed 100mL last month. Surrounding townships such as Yaraka, which has not seen rain, managed to benefit slightly from the run-off from Barcaldine.

“I had a farmer ring me the other day saying, ‘Oh my god, I had 18mL of rain’,” Ms Blackwell said. “It filled up their tank a little bit and they were so excited.

“But it’s still very, very hit and miss and even to get two inches of rain, that’s not drought-breaking, that just gives someone a reprieve or puts something back in the dam.

“I think it’s going to be a pretty dry summer.”

Other problems are being brought on by the drought. As the crippling conditions creep across the state, the local water has turned undrinkable in Bell, just two and a half hours from Brisbane.

Locals told the Courier Mail the town’s unacceptable water supply has destroyed washing machines, caused skin rashes and even killed grass.

“We have serious problems in some parts of the Western Downs — some pockets where people are in desperately serious trouble,” Western Downs mayor Ray Brown said.

Even wild animals are struggling. Locals have reported seeing crocodiles swimming in central west towns, such as in Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River and at Yeppoon Main Beach, in the past month.

“This is an El Niño year and it’s obviously very, very dry,” Rockhampton crocodile farmer John Lever told the ABC.

“That means there are no little freshwater puddles below the barrage for the crocodiles to drink from ... they’re all coming up to the fish ladder to get a drink or they’re all coming to the sewage treatment outlet pipe in Quay Street to get a drink.”

HISTORIC HAY RUN

As a particularly strong El Niño weather system continues to bring drier-than-average conditions across the country, a history-making effort is required to fight a disaster of such epic proportions.

The Drought Angels are organising a huge road relief program to bring feed to farmers in what’s billed as the biggest hay drive on the planet.

A massive convoy of 130 trucks and 170 trailers will bring hay to starving livestock, and deliver much-needed prepaid Visa cards to struggling families.

Families are encouraged to spend what they have in local businesses to help keep their communities afloat.

The Drought Angels have also been holding Christmas events for families to give them a few hours of joy amid the mounting crisis.

“People say they choose to do this (run their farms), but they’re our food bowl, and it’s just their way of life,” Ms Blackwell said.

“And they’re pretty proud — they don’t ask for help, really. But it’s tough out there.

“But what you see is that everyone is looking out for their neighbours. The community spirit is there — you can tell they’re a bit broken but the community spirit is there.

“I know myself, with a rural background, it will rain. We always hope it will rain tomorrow or next week, but it will rain.

“And that’s what keeps people going.”

The Drought Angels have received enough Christmas presents for children in drought areas but anyone who can donate money towards the road relief drive can do so via the Drought Angels page on Facebook.