Communities across the region are hoping 2015 will prove much wetter than last year, which was dominated by extremely dry conditions.
Official annual rainfall totals from the Bureau of Meteorology indicate well below average and highly variable rainfall across the north west during 2014.
A total of 377.6 millimetres fell at the Narrabri West post office over the course of the year, just over half the average annual total of 661.6 millimetres.
The Narrabri Airport received 458.2 millimetres for 2014, while Wee Waa recorded 372 millimetres.
The Bellata Post office received an annual total of 348.2 millimetres, with 299.3 being the lowest annual rainfall on record for the town.
Bellata was well on the way to setting a new record before a fall of 130 millimetres in the month of December.
Burren Junction recorded 313.5 millimetres for the year, well below the average of 505.2, while only 270.2 millimetres fell at Walgett, compared to an average 437.5.
Patchy storm rain for the first week of the year has given some landholders hope, but many in the region still require a string of decent falls to make up for lack of rain.
Maxine Booby from ‘Cardonis’ south west of Wee Waa has recorded 23 millimetres so far this year, but says it’s not enough.
“It’s only just wet the top few inches of soil, it’s not enough to plant on,” she explained.
“It’s greened everything up which takes away a bit of the headache but it was certainly patchy and it’s heartbreaking for people who’ve missed out, the drought’s not over.
“We’re after a couple of inches of steady rain or 4 inches in bursts, so that the subsoil will actually get wet.”
‘Cardonis’ hasn’t received enough rain to plant a summer crop.
“You can take a risk and plant a crop and pray that it rains again to keep you going, or you wait for the next rain where you’re certain there is enough moisture to plant on,” Mrs Booby said.
While positive reports have emerged of regular rain events in the Pilliga this summer, Roger McDowell from ‘Tregoen’ on the northern edge of the Pilliga forest, believes it’s still nothing to get excited about.
Roger recorded over 100 millimetres in 15 minutes last December, but it has since dried up and he was forced to destock parts of his property.
“It’s all storm rain, and until we get a week of soaking, general rain, it will remain very risky to sow any crops or fodder crops for the coming year,” he said.
“The problem is that in the last 10 years we’re continually rolling in and out of drought, and we just don’t get paid enough for our product, to be able to put the money away to drought proof properties.”
Rainfall tallies around Boggabri ranged from 13 to 50 millimetres, while properties between Narrabri and Bellata received up to 115 millimtres.
Bryce Lampe from ‘Bobbiwaa South’, on the Newell Highway north of Narrabri, received 76 millimetres of rain. He said it was a great way to start 2015.
“We had more in this fall of rain in two days than what we had in half a year,” he said.
“For people who have put in dryland cotton it’ll be enough of a season for them and people who have put in sorghum are also going to benefit
“We were going to plant summer crops but there was no rain and it was too hot so we didn’t end up putting anything in, we’ll put in winter wheat.”
He’s hoping the recent rain is a sign of better things to come.
“It’s a lot steamier, there’s been more overcast days with more promise of rain I suppose but who knows, you can’t trust the weather man because look at all the days he says it’s going to rain and then we didn’t get a drop, so you just have to take it day by day, if you get rain you get it, if you don’t it’s bad luck,” he said.