| Clear skies under
a high pressure system caused several record low October temperatures this
morning in the southeast of the nation, with late frosts causing concern
over frost damage to crops in Victoria's northwest. Nhill
recorded a minimum of -2.0, equal to its previous lowest October minimum
in 38 years of computerised records. This followed a minimum of -1.6 on
Monday morning. Laverton Airport, between Melbourne and Geelong,
had its coldest October morning in 57 years with a minimum of zero. Local
agronomists fear that some crops may have suffered damage. Field peas in
the Hopetoun area of western Victoria appear the worst affected with
damage rates between 15 and 75%. In South Australia, Parafield, north
of Adelaide, broke a 38 year record with a minimum on 1.6 while Swan
Island, off the northeastern coast of Tasmania, recorded a record
low of 4.3. Widespread light snow was reported across Tasmania overnight,
with falls as low as Maydena in the upper Derwent Valley, and at Lake Leake
in the northeastern highlands.
Light rain across southern Queensland
and northeastern NSW yesterday and overnight have given some hope
though little relief to farmers in the area. In the Crows Nest area northwest
of Brisbane, water is being carted as homestead supplies dry up, while
farther north in the Burnett shires of Gayndah, Eidsvold and Monto, councils
are seeking government drought relief. In NSW, a large area of the state's
north has been declared a drought area, stretching from near Moree to
east of Tenterfield and south to Narrabri and Tamworth. Crops that only
a few months ago were promising bumper harvests are being turned over
to stock. A surrounding area stretching from the NSW Central Coast to
the Queensland border in the northwest has been described as in marginal
drought. Coffs Harbour and neighbouring towns have tightened water restrictions,
with sprinkler watering permitted only 30 minutes daily.
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as
new and corrected information becomes available, with updates underlined