Currently since we have had some rain, the property conditions are not as grim as it has been in previously years. However the short green grass is not sufficient to supply the many head of cattle and sheep for grazing. People comment on how "lucky" we are compared to the real drought-stricken areas, although my husband and his team work the country and put serious labour to make it as beneficial for the stock and us as possible. It may look green but money, time and effort has been put into the land for this to happen. Rain is just a rare necessity for it to blossom.

Originally when I arrived to the Central West from the Central Coast NSW eight years ago, it was in the middle of a bad drought. I had no idea what to compare these hard times to. However I was quite shocked to see such dry, arid land when only 4-5 hours east there was a green, coastal oasis.

From my short experience living in the country I can't say any drought differs much from another drought. I believe it is just as devastating as the next! When you actually feel and see people's struggles emotionally and financially to support their livelihood, it shows how hard it is to survive through these times.

I believe farmers/primary producers are the most hard working, underpaid, under-appreciated, driven people who work to support the country, so the government needs to give back and do the same. Emotional struggles are caused by the lack of support and infrastructure so why not fix this problem?

The suffering, among both people and animals that resulted, does not make this drought different to those of the past. This drought is different because people don't see a way back.

Profitability was eroded many years ago and the industry has limped along on the back of cash reserves, cost cutting and equity ever since. That process is very nearly at an end. The capacity to endure further losses does not exist.

The profitability crisis in agriculture can be linked to virtually every one of the issues that regional Australia is currently facing from skill shortages, to the malaise of small towns, to the perilous state of agricultural infrastructure and to the fact that these businesses are no longer in a position to properly manage in the natural environment that they are built on.

The markets for Australian agricultural product are damaged. Australian produce competes with protected industries in all of our developed world competitors. They are protected because they are not in a position to compete with the low costs of production in the developing world.

Whatever the reasons for the profitability crisis, it has crippled the industry and robbed the cash reserves required for issues like drought and investment.

This drought is different because it isn't really about the drought. The drought is just one more straw on the back of a very rickety camel.

The last 18 months have been extremely dry. We are feeding about 4,000 sheep and 100 cattle. Have a small area of irrigated sorghum with 150 cattle on it which will be sold when the feed runs out. We have destocked one farm as there is no water.

I am hoping the PM will announce something helpful to us; a grant for water infrastructure may help us. An interest rate subsidy, household support and - when it does rain - money for fodder conservation would help many people, as people may be asset rich but very cash poor.

Things here are extremely dry, tanks almost empty, and we have been on self-imposed water restrictions since August 2013, unsure of where to move cattle to as paddocks are bare.

This is as bad as previous droughts, but the heightened damage/stress is that it has come on the heels of being wiped out in the 2013 floods so we are financially stretched to breaking-point (if not beyond).

We need the powers that be to realise how desperate the situation is!

Hearts are breaking on our property. Our cattle, beloved as they are, are literally staring down the barrel of a gun as we wait and pray for rain. If it has not rained and filled our dams by the end of the week or sooner, my dad will begin to cull the weakest, and most drought affected stock.

I sent video footage of our land to Channel 7 and was told the footage of our dying cattle was too traumatic to show on TV. Too traumatic for TV. When war and death and blood and gore is shown freely on TV, our cattle are too emotionally distressing to be seen. That is what it is like on our property right now.

The entire cattle market has collapsed and cattle are worth little to nothing. It costs money to sell them, so who will sell something when you are likely to receive a Bill from the yards as a result. We have tried that. It didn't work, now we will shoot cattle instead.

The drought is not just natural, this drought is financial and blame must be laid on government and animal rights activists. If something isn't done soon, our industry will fully collapse and all good production will go offshore.

There is no emotional support available for us. My brother is 19; his job is to destroy the cattle in distress. While other 19-year-olds are spending their money on fun and travelling, he is busting his guts on a farm.

My sister is 21, she works her butt off to mix the grain feed and try to get it out to the cattle. Other girls her age are in front of a mirror fixing their hair, going to the beach, having fun enjoying life. Not her.

I am 24, my job is to cart the dwindling supply of water around our farm. I am watching our cattle die slowly. My parents are even worse off. Nobody is supporting us. We rely on friends in the city, the phone calls to check we are ok. The government is failing us.

We have no property now, due to drought. We had to walk away from 25 years of farming, taking only our clothes and furniture. Leaving behind all our beautiful cows, farm machinery and a beautiful grazing and cropping property, to be sold up by the bank for best price they could get, at a fire sale. They are still chasing us for an outstanding balance and will bankrupt us at their own leisure.

All droughts are the same: A slow and insidious erosion. First goes the feed from the paddocks, then the bank balance is depleted. Then you have to call on the bank to tide you over through it. They do that until you have used up all the equity in your property. Then they raise your interest rates, because you've become a bad risk. Then goes the hope and in comes the desperation. Followed by the eventual stark reality that you've lost everything.

There is nothing that can be done for us now. We are gone (off the land). Our business was a multi award-winning stud cattle property that Australia is now the worse for not having. The knowledge and talent for breeding cattle that we provided to the beef industry cannot be replaced once it's gone.

Just help the poor wretches that are doing it tough now. After all, who will feed Australians when the rest of the world decide to keep their own produce to feed their populations?

We are currently running about 1,500 sheep on our 1,300-acre house block with another 1,200 sheep up the road on 1,000 acres we also own. It is very dry, we have started an under-sowing program about 3 years ago and many of the photos I have taken of our property are what's become of the pastures. We ensure every year we sow oats mainly for feed, but this year the conditions were so bad the oats didn't strike well and we weren't game to graze them off too much as we wanted to have something left to store for feeding out. We are 100 per cent relying on groundwater for the survival of our stock as all our dams and creeks are dry, or as good as.

It's be great if at times like these we could access subsidies for water infrastructure we have had to put in place that we would have done eventually, but have been forced to do all at once. It would mean that we could run troughs to more paddocks so we could manage our grazing and cropping plan more effectively and see a better impact on our property.

If your whole dependence is on agriculture as a contractor - eg harvesting, planting, spraying, etc - there is no real assistance. The farm assistance have basically said if you are farming or share-farming you might be able to get some assistance, but otherwise try the mines. They were trying to be helpful and it was appreciated. But there is to my understanding no real provision for agricultural contractors whose sole dependency is upon contracting. And they can have huge depreciation costs and machinery payments that are ultimately crippling when drought or flood conditions persist in close proximity to each other.

Although floods can cause huge havoc, it is probably the droughts that are the most draining physically and emotionally. I was share farming for my father-in-law, buying machinery and everything seemed to be going well until the 2010 floods came. The next-door neighbour said, 'Paul, in the four years you were share-farming you copped both the worst drought and flood on record in our district.' They were too close together.

I was talking the normal agricultural help-lines in Toowoomba. The lady was wonderful, I know she has done all that she could. She has emailed me different things to try and help, but it all gets you away from what you know and love the most, ie agriculture.

I think, for the fellow, emotional drain comes from the financial drain in not being able to provide properly for his family in the thing that he knows he can do well at. I had to hand the farming to a friend, and I have left Toowoomba for a time. My wife and two girls are helping out in a bakery in NSW for a time, and my youngest daughter had just completed her cert 3 in agriculture. I needed the break away emotionally.

I am not just thinking of the contractors, but those who we are contracting for. I can name some of the most respected large and progressive farmers in their districts who have been that way for years but have had to sell in being caught out with the string of droughts and floods that seem to have persisted. These are people who have helped others in there own farming communities.

For me, I don't know how I can pay the harvester payment. If I was still share-farming you can get it stalled off for a year. But at present I am at a loss as to which way to turn.

The duration of this drought and the lack of night-time respite from the heat, make sleep deprivation a living hell in your own home.

There is no help available. I am just a mother trying to help out on a little 50-acre property, a business my daughter and son-in-law are developing in hope of a life when his job finishes on the gas line. He's working in an industry that is fast OH&S'ing itself out of viability in this country. The wife is entitled to nothing but handouts from her husband.

For God's sake, how do the families cope on the big properties? Why would the kids want to stay?

I would like to see a lightning bolt, apocalyptical about-face in government policy, thinking, understanding of the now and future consequences of this hard-nosed, close-minded damage they are causing.

We have lived here since 1973 and the conditions are the driest I have seen it. There has been no significant rain event since July 2012. We have had two very hot summers in a row which has had big impact on the dry feed that we did have.

This drought has more impact than the '05-'08, due to the two very hot summers and the cattle market slump due to the live export ban, which caused the flood of livestock hitting the Australian stock market '11-'12. Due to the drought being so wide the opportunities to find agistment or a market [are harder to come by].

Biggest issues we have is the cash flow; far too much of our cash goes out to local and state government charges and fees. Local government rates, lease hold land rentals, registration, licenses.
Also we have a number of employees that we will have to put off at the end of April if no rain event happens. It would be good if both state and federal government pay their wages or subsidise their wages while we still provide accommodation and food. This I feel could also go to small rural communities' businesses.

It is the driest we have ever seen it here in 25 years. It will be a year on March 15 since we had a fall of rain over 15 mm. Our farm production has come to a standstill and we are about to destock almost completely. We are helping neighbours pull cows out of water holes daily and shooting the weak. Quality pastures are sparse, dry clumps and dust. Our reserve pasture was destroyed in November by a fire that escaped from a neighbouring property. Hay ran out months ago. Only the riparian margins are supporting our stock at the moment.

Also on a community level people have not recovered from the floods. Pressure to destock is made extremely difficult by cattle prices being so low as to make them virtually worthless. We have a 94-year-old neighbour who says this is the worst season he has ever seen. We are lucky that our creek still has water; last drought we virtually ran out of water as well.

We are very lucky we both made the decision to seek outside employment part time about 4 years ago as a drought proofing measure and had joked it had rained ever since so financially although it is difficult we can still pay our bills and feed ourselves and animals. Emotionally it is very difficult to see so much of your hard work down the drain and animals dying or having to dispose of them. It can feel like a shift in a war zone after coming home from work.

You become very hardened to this sort of weather over the 25 years we have been here, but get the most angry with the attitude of the current governments. Although they are promising help it needed to be yesterday. They don't acknowledge that this is going to be a more frequent event from now on and it is accelerating at a rapid pace. It is a hard gig for any government but foremost climate change needs to be acknowledged and action plans developed. It also firstly needs to be acknowledged that it is the farmers that feed people.

We managed to make it through the '02/'03 drought which was the worst recorded then in 100 years, and this is much worse for us financially and emotionally - like so many others. The things we've had to do on a daily basis at times have been horrific. My husband has just left his job (which was was only just keeping the wolves at bay) to stay home permanently, as emotionally I can't continue on my own. Sadly there are women out there on properties by themselves dealing with unbearable pressures, while also trying to smile and make out all is OK, to shield the kids from effects of the drought.

The drought is certainly not caused by overstocking or poor management. There are so many factors that come into play; we have our backs up against a wall. The collapse of the roo industry caused low prices. Roo shooters are not interested in shooting there is not enough money in it for them. As a result kangaroo numbers are increasing and devastating the vegetation and paddocks we have spelled as a drought management measure. There are cases of feral pigs digging up poly pipe, chewing holes in it chasing water -and of course any water that has been pumped into tanks is then wasted. With wild dog numbers increasing along with weak stock we lose more calves than ever before.

There are many people such as contractors and so many others that are out of work. Properties can't afford to hire any help so many are out of jobs. I've spoken to some of the local businesses who are feeling the pressure they are suffering as in a small community with so many affected by drought no one is spending any money and so the local business are doing it really tough.

There are many issues we are all facing on a daily basis, we try to survive the best way we can and we are grateful no matter how bad things are they could always be worse. We have had some relief rain here, not so much where we have some cattle on agistment, although for now we are able to take a deep breath and plan new strategies, it's going to take a long time to recover. Sadly for some they still haven't received any rain and my heart goes out to them.

This drought is very different from my perspective. I have been through two major droughts and a few minor ones. We have also been through a major bushfire in 2001, burning roughly 6,500 acres of our 6,800-acre property which we are still repairing some 13 years later. After the fire we experienced several years of drought in which I fed cattle - this was a hard emotional and financial struggle.

As a young, second generation beef producer I would be appreciative if ignorant "townies" had an idea or actually gave a stuff about where their food comes from, as opposed to buying cheaper foreign imports. Do they even know if they're genetically modified foods or in what conditions they're grown? We should follow the UK in their proposed Food Miles Tax for imports only.

Country towns and businesses are shrinking due to the lack of infrastructure. We need to unblock cities and educate city people about the exciting, challenging and rewarding prospects that country life has to offer. A high percentage of Australians live less than 50km from the coast. This leaves a mere portion of Australians that are the backbone for the economy. How can this work?

To help the young people that are interested in a life of agriculture/aquaculture get started, a first farmer/primary industry grant could be as beneficial to the economy as the first home owners grant. It's not easy to get started! It seems large multinationals are buying huge portions of land which in return makes it harder for the Australian public to follow their dream in owning land and producing for their country.

Since 2007 we have had only 18 months' reprieve which enabled water catchments (dams and waterholes) to fill across the property. Lack of rainfall combined with extensive periods of high Summer temperatures in Dec/Jan/Feb 2013 and again in 2014 has taken its toll on stock but they are still in sound condition with the assistance of molasses and stock lick.

It needs to be said that the beef industry will take a number of years to recover, businesses will need to rebuild their core breeding herds - which is a grazier's source of income - to sustainable levels. The SA Government needs to decide if it wants agriculture (beef production) as a part of its economy and if it wants a vibrant and sustainable pastoral industry for the long term growth of this state. If so it needs to invest and encourage growth in regional and remote SA. Primary Industries SA (PIRSA) will need to take a strong change in direction. It needs to listen to the pastoralists and it needs to shore up the industry because it is lagging behind the other states.

What I also find fascinating is the lack of attention drought conditions in SA have generated. I have spoken to federal politicians, state members, some media and no-one is truly understanding the situation.

From January 6 to 8 we got some rain, and it was very nice even though they were hit and miss showers again.

We were dreaming of an early wet, but have now lowered our sights and are dreaming of a late wet.

By the time we started our branding muster conditions were hot, dusty and very windy. This made life fairly difficult, especially when working cattle in the yards.

After a week of mad wind, Cyclone Dillon eventually came good with some light rain. We got 30mm and it was very welcome to lay the dust and freshen things up. Then on February 9 there were some of those hit-and-miss storms and we were lucky enough to get under one of them, but a lot still missed out.

So, in this area at least, the drought has taken a couple of hits. But it is a long way from finished, especially in western areas where they have had no relief at all.