The results of an already terrific wet season can been seen across the plains of the Barkly Tablelands of the Northern Territory.
Aerial photographs taken by a big beef player in that part of the world, the ASX-listed Australian Agricultural Company reveal the rich rewards from recent wet season rains.
AACo owns and operates Australia's largest cattle herd with around 340,000 head spread over its properties across the NT and Queensland.
Flooding rains further south may have cut railways and even the Stuart Highway but the impact of this rain on the pastoral industry will be felt for many months.
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AACo says it has recorded 300mm of valuable rain across southern parts of the Barkly.
Posting the pictures on their social media platforms, AACo said the vast Brunette Lake system which is on its Brunette Downs station, is starting to fill.
When full this system of three lakes becomes an inland sea covering more than 2000 square kilometres.
AACo said if the system fills it can support up to a million waterbirds.
But the Barkly is renowned for cattle production across its enormous plains depending on the seasons.
Just a few years the Barkly was officially in drought and many thousands of stock were moved to Queensland for feed.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Brunette Downs instruments recorded 265mm in January (Tennant Creek 156mm) after just 23mm in December to bring a sign of relief to this cradle of cattle country.
The Barkly covers about a fifth of the Territory.
The wet season normally runs to April.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
