25 Mar 2014

Drought-hit farmer dreading winter

2:55 pm on 25 March 2014

A dairy farmer on Northland's west coast is wondering just when the rain will arrive and he's worried winter's on the horizon.

Lyall Preston, who farms at Ruawai, near Dargaville, with his brother, says there has been no significant rain for at least three months and that the extremely dry conditions affecting his area are the worst he's seen in more than 30-years.

South Auckland and north and eastern Waikato are facing the same predicament.

Mr Preston says he's had about 200 millimetres of rain on his 180 hectare property in the last five months, which is half of what it normally receives.

He says if there's no rain before winter sets in, the consequences will be huge.

On Northland's west coast.

On Northland's west coast. Photo: SUPPLIED