SYDNEY, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Drought-stricken farmers in the Australian State of Queensland have been "living in hope" for a number of years, with western regions of the state experiencing their lowest levels of rainfall on record.
In some areas, it has been over six years since a substantial downpour.
However over the weekend despair turned to joy for graziers and communities after a massive deluge inundated much of the state.
"Everyone is just so happy the rain has come to bring farmers a bit of grass and a bit of feed for the livestock producers out here," AgForce Queensland executive general president Grant Maudsley told Xinhua on Monday.
"In a lot of parts of Western Queensland there is no real access to water and no real irrigation outside the more developed areas."
As a result, during times of drought farmers are forced to sell down stock in order to keep their costs as low as possible.
"They will try and use their financial reserves as best they can to cut costs," Maudsley said.
"So it can be extremely difficult and it takes a lot of money out of the towns when its dry."
Although the State's Bureau of Meteorology warnings for flash flooding, extreme winds and thunderstorms remain in place after more than 400 mm of rain fell between the townships of Mount Isa and Winton, it has not dampen the spirit of local communities.
"We are down on numbers in regional Queensland after the years of drought, but by and large things are in reasonable shape," Maudsley said.
"Now people will be looking for prices of livestock to increase and it will certainly give people a positive outlook and an opportunity to expand and buy in a few more cattle, or trade, or breed up."
