The poor bl**dy b*ggers! We hope you get over this cobbers!

(where is a lefty liberal marxist around to decalre this has absolute evidence of global warming??)

THIS IS ABSOLUTE EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING!!!!!!

Ahh, that's better.

if it is not global warming, whats the answer dave iam sure we would all love to know.

Kitty

A lack of rain. Haven't lived for thousands of years so I'm unable to tell you whether it's natural or not. Nobody can. Unless....are you 50,000 years old? Even then, it would be ahrd to tell given that the Earth, as a hbitable planet, is 4 billion or so years old.

Oh aye and Australia is more than 3 quarters arid desert and has been for thousands of years.

This is the fourth time since I arrived in Australia in 1964 that there has been a severe drought.

Droughts are an intrinsic part of this continent and there used to be a stoic acceptance of the fact. People knew that, eventually, the weather would change for the better.

Then along came the prophets of climate doom to tell us to change our wicked ways else the planet will be unlivable in a couple of centuries.

It is a pity we will not be here to witness their predictions.

It's very unfortunate, but the climate in Australia is very harsh, so it's hardly surprising.

However, Australia is a growing economy and I'm sure they will cope and sustain farming at a certain level. Most countries in equally difficult enviroments, don't have that luxury - the farmers in certain African countries don't take their own lives, they and their families just simply die through disease and starvation!!

There has always been a high mortality rate among Australian farmers.

Hopefully this will lower the price of land so an American corporation can buy it all up and turn their farms into a profitable industry.

Farming corporations are not the answer. Bigger is not always better.

It's too bad that one area has to suffer to strengthen prices. One can certainly tell when the price is up or down in our small farming community by the smiles or frowns on faces. (3,000 population since 1910)

I think you would have to have lived in Australia to understand that farming there is always hit and miss.

Not only that but young men have little to do in most country towns except drink and there is a very high suicide rate.

When I was at school I knew two girls whose brothers had shot themselves on the land.

Being from the central west of NSW it is hard to see people you know and value to be suffering from such harsh environmental conditions. Darren the answer is definently NOT for America to buy our land. I think they own enough of our stuff.

It is a harsh climate and it is getting worse for farmers to sustain their families farms. Suicide and depression are on the rise and grown men, farmers, Aussie blokes are down in tears as they see their lifes work and family's farm diminshing in front of their eyes.

Its the reality of farming life in Australia as it is in other continents that drought can mean devastation for the farm and livelihoods of farmers and their families. But that doesn't make it any easier to cope with.

There is no clear answer for this situation, i just hope these blokes can hold on and get through it.