A tale of two droughts: Australia's dry plains and flooding rains | 60 Minutes Australia

Dec 28 2022

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In 2006 it was our worst drought on record. Rural Australia was in recession. Starving stock, failed crops, bone-dry dams - it was depressing picture. Yet, up in the country's far north, it was boom times and farmers on Western Australia's massive Ord scheme were asking: "What drought?". Up there, there was water to spare - they were literally swimming in it - and vast tracts of land were being opened up for more farming. Ray Martin met two farmers who've had vastly different fortunes. One, farming out the back of Bourke, was facing ruin. While the other bloke up on the Ord hadn't had it better.