For the first time in a decade, less than 30 per cent of Queensland is now drought-declared.
From March 2023, 27.8 per cent of Queensland's land area will be drought-declared — down from 38.1 per cent.
Rockhampton, Central Highlands, Woorabinda, Barcoo and more than half of Barcaldine local government areas (LGA) will have their drought status revoked next month.
It comes following years of ongoing drought, with 88 per cent of the state drought-declared from November 2015 to April 2016.
By 2019, several Queensland towns ran out of drinking water and devastated farmers described it as the "worst drought in living memory".
Many graziers were forced to sell all their stock, fruit and vegetable crops were unable to be grown and drought appeals were everywhere.
This was followed by several flooding events across the state.
Rainfall a welcome relief: Minister
Agricultural Minister Mark Furner said the recommendation to revoke the declarations followed an ongoing improvement in seasonal conditions since the start of the year.
"Some of our farmers have done it tough during a long drought, so increased rainfall over the past six months has been a welcome relief," he said.
After consistent rainfall and inflows, Fairbairn Dam in the Central Highlands is currently at 45.17 per cent and farmers using it for irrigation have been on 100-per-cent water allocations since November.
At Gindie, about 20 kilometres south of Emerald in central Queensland, dryland grain farmer Kelvin Daniels says the weather has been incredible over the last 18 months.
"It's probably been nearly perfect — if anything too wet," he said.
"It did affect our wheat harvest. That was the biggest problem."
Mr Daniels has finished planting his summer sorghum crop and is planning to plant chickpeas soon.
He also runs cattle and says his dams have been full for a year.
"Three years in a row we were running out of water between Christmas and New Year," Mr Daniels said.
"It's a lot easier not having to worry about where you're going to get water from for cattle."
Lifting graziers' spirits
Grazier Julie Groves from Haughton Vale station near Jundah said the decision to revoke the Barcoo Shire's drought status came as "no surprise".
Her cattle station received over 350 millimetres in 2022.
"It just really lifts your spirits, it's good to see," she said.
"We've got to have the time to appreciate the grass growth after we've been through an extended dry period like we've had."
The Barcoo Shire Council was drought-declared in 2013, but heavy rainfall and flooding in the past 12 months transformed the sprawling Channel Country.
Ms Groves said she was hopeful the rainfall could inspire young graziers to return to the land, after an exodus of families in the height of the drought.
"It's lovely to see families you've gone through [distance education] with and to see their children come back to the land is terrific," she said.
"But there are a lot of families who took up off-farm jobs and that's kept the family farm going.
"This is a lifestyle, but it has to be a lifestyle that generates an income for those young people and they need to be aware of that when they come back on the land."
Pressure from increased costs
With his dams full and a good soil moisture profile, Mr Daniels says his biggest concern is rising input costs.
"Fuel and chemical and fertiliser prices are probably double," he said.
"Prices are OK, but not in comparison to what we're paying for diesel and chemicals."
Despite the revocation of drought status in some LGAs, Minister Mark Furner says producers can still access assistance such as freight subsidies for restocking and returning from agistment.
"If a producer believes they are still experiencing difficult conditions in a council area that is no longer drought declared, they can apply for an Individually Droughted Property (IDP) declaration," he said.
The Bureau of Meteorology's latest outlook suggests the current La Niña may be easing, so many producers are preparing for the next drought.
Eight Queensland council areas remain drought-declared, three councils have a part declaration and an additional 19 properties have an individual declaration in a further six LGAs.
