Pastoral rain relief but greater falls needed

It was station country on the NT/SA border that received some of the highest falls in pastoral areas throughout March, including Tieyon Station at Kulgera that recorded 112 millimetres and Mt Dare with 118mm.

But pastoralists in the Flinders Ranges missed out on March rainfall, with Shane and Patrick Rowe and their daughter Courtney, receiving no rain at all at their Cradock station, Almerta.

Mrs Rowe said January and February provided 30mm and the higher falls toward the east, meant streams flowed down to the station's dams and creeks.

"The dams are full and the creeks are flowing, so whilst we did not get the rain in March, we will be okay. But we will need more in April and May," she said.

With their Merino breeding ewes recently recording 90 per cent scanned in-lamb, Mrs Rowe was optimistic about the season ahead.

In the Far North of the state, Aracoola recorded some of the higher falls in March with 40mm, but Binman and Wilmington recorded less than 10mm.

In SA's North East pastoral area, Yunta had 16mm, Maree 30mm but Broken Hill reached 28mm.

The SA North West pastoral district's rain gauge was topped up to 43mm at Oodnadatta, Andamooka 40mm and Roxby Downs 25mm.

Elders Peterborough branch manager Tim Taplin said it had been a dry start to the year for Upper North and North East pastoralists, but after between 50-75mm fell on Australia Day, "it got things underway".

"They needed the rain in March but they are not desperate, yet," he said.

But despite the prospect of a better season ahead, pastoralists are not restocking and just breeding up ewe numbers slowly.

"Most are bringing agistment sheep back onto their properties," Mr Taplin said.

RELATED: Outback rain terrific, but won't alter cattle marketing plans