Australia Weather News

Cattle stations in the Kimberley region of Western Australia have had an extremely wet start to 2017.

There were some huge rainfall totals this week across the region, including 200 millimetres in just 24 hours at Christmas Creek Station.

Owen Finger from Debesa Station, west of Fitzroy Crossing, said it had been an amazing start to the year with steady, consistent falls of rain.

"The average rainfall here is about 28 inches (711mm) and we've already had about 26 inches (660mm) since the start of December," he said.

"So 2017 should be all good.

"We had 130 millimetres [on Wednesday], which pretty much covered the whole station, and there's plenty of water laying about."

Amount of rain 'unheard of'

Further south, Peter Camp from Kalyeeda Station said the amount of rain his property was getting "was unheard of".

"The average rainfall here at Kalyeeda is 450mm, and we had 425mm in December, plus 167mm so far in January, so an extremely good start to the season," he said.

"Getting that 425mm in December put our calendar year total for 2016 at 875mm, which is unheard of down this low in the Kimberley."

Mr Camp said the Fitzroy River was full, but had thankfully not had any major flooding, which was a bonus for cattle producers.

Catherine Marriott, from the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association, said it was "sensational" to have so much rain fall across the Kimberley.

"Let's hope it continues into the Pilbara," she said.

"The rain will lift the cattle condition, rejuvenate the land and give producers a real pep in their step.

"With cattle prices remaining high, the conditions are looking fabulous for 2017."

More rain on the way

The East Kimberley town of Kununurra has broken a record of sorts, with the local airport rain gauge receiving 386.4 millimetres so far for January, beating its previous January rainfall total record of 358.8mm set in 2014.

However, it should be noted that Bureau of Meteorology records show the Kununurra township received 520.4mm in January 1962.

More rain is forecast for next week, with the monsoon trough expected to develop in the Northern Territory before heading west into the Kimberley.