Wet and wild weather has lashed the region in recent weeks. Last Thursday afternoon, Narrabri was hit by a hailstorm and patchy rainfall was experienced across the region on the weekend, with up to 84 millimetres recorded at one property north-east of the town of Burren Junction.
Wee Waa’s Steve Berger, who records rainfall for the Bureau of Meteorology said 21 millimetres fell over the weekend.
On November 7, the Burren Junction area was impacted by severe weather, prompting the Volunteer Rescue Association to work alongside NSW State Emergency Service teams to conduct rapid damage assessments, roof tarping and provide community members with much-needed support.
While formal operations have wrapped up, the local VRA crew remains on standby and ready to assist residents as the recovery continues.
Burren Junction VRA captain Steve Gardiner praised everyone involved in the response for their dedication and teamwork.
Captain Gardiner said it was sad to see such a ‘freak’ storm hit the small, tight-knit town but like many country communities, the people were there to support each other.
“This storm definitely created a fair bit of devastation for little Burren, but with some teamwork from both the VRA and NSW SES teams, we were able to get three repairing jobs done by Saturday night,” he said.
Outlook Ag agronomist Peter Meppem described the impact of the November 7 storm as variable from the farming front.
The timing of the storm and its powerful winds was a big blow to the farming communities affected, with the winter crop harvest well underway.
“For the majority of the area, a lot of farms had finished harvesting just in time for the storm front, but unfortunately some were not,” Mr Meppem said.
“Especially where the storm moved south east from Burren, we’ve seen a lot of damage on crops like chickpeas as well as grazing paddocks.
“It did a lot of damage to lots of trees and pasture; I’ve never seen destruction like it,” he said.
“The game plan is just to see where the season gets us and hopefully, we’ll be ready for when the next one comes.
“In times of crisis, these communities always shine through, and it is a beautiful thing to see everyone having each other’s backs.
“I really believe that if a town like Burren Junction has such a strong and fearless community, no storm can dampen their spirit.”
Member for Barwon Roy Butler said producers impacted by recent severe storms in Pilliga, Burren Junction and the Warrumbungle Shire can complete a damage assessment through Primary Industries and Regional Development to access targeted assistance and resources.
by Gen Maunder and Ali Smith
