VICTORIA'S weather has been all over the place in the past few weeks, the latest official figures show.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, only a few parts of the state, notably the North East and central regions and the far southwest, have had near-average or above-average rainfall so far this month.
Mt Hotham has recorded one of the highest rainfalls with 126mm, Corryong was drenched by almost 75mm, while Portland also got 72mm and casterton more than 49mm.
However, the rest of the state has had much less.
Three areas in particular are having a reasonably dry July - the Mallee, East Gippsland and areas to the north and west of Melbourne - with rainfall in some areas as low as 10-20 per cent of the long-term average, according to the bureau.
In East Gippsland, Orbost only recorded 9mm and Mildura, in the Mallee, only fared a little better with 18mm.
"July's been a mixed bag for farmers," Victorian Farmers Federation president Andrew Broad told The Weekly Times.
"It hasn't been really bad anywhere, but some areas are still hanging out for good rain in the spring.
"That's the real pay-cheque period.
"If we get a dry spring, it could undo all the good work."
But the bureau's climate monitoring and prediction chief, David Jones, said the chances of a wet spring were good, with a La Nina (signalling above-average rain for eastern Australia) now firmly established in the Pacific Ocean.
"It's starting to show up in our forecasts, although it's yet to creep into Victoria, where there's still only a 50:50 chance of above-average rain in the next few months," Dr Jones said.
"But we expect that to improve by late winter and early spring."
Charlton grain grower and VFF grains group president Russell Amery said most of the state's cropping belt had received reasonable rain this month, "but we still need significant breaks between now and the end of the year".
Tallangatta beef farmer and Victorian executive member of the Cattle Council of Australia Michael McCormack said most of the state's graziers were busy rebuilding drought-ravaged herds.
"After years of hand feeding, we've now got good fodder from last spring, there's good grass on the ground and the prospect of really good pasture growth in spring.
"So we're all in a re-building phase, which means there's a squeeze on stock available for sale."
