Drought

• The Federation Drought, 1895-1902
  
  
• The 1914-15 drought
  
  
• The World War II droughts, 1937-45
  
  
• Short but sharp - the 1982-83 drought
  
  
• The long El Niño - 1991 through 1995

Drought. The word evokes images of barren fields, dying stock, and waterholes and reservoirs drying to cracked mud. Shrivelled hopes, failed crops, and often economic ruin are its trademarks.

Drought is also part and parcel of life in Australia, particularly in the marginal areas away from the better-watered coasts and ranges. Of all the climatic phenomena to afflict Australia, drought is probably the most economically costly: major droughts such as that of 1982/83 can have a major impact on the national economy. Moreover, apart from crop failure and stock losses, droughts set the scene for other disastrous phenomena, such as fires, dust-storms, and general land degradation.

Why is Australia drought-prone?

Many, but by no means all, droughts over eastern and northern Australia accompany the El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomenon, which typically lasts about a year, as in 1982/83. Droughts in the western areas and over much of the interior normally have different causes. Nevertheless, on some occasions (such as 1914 and 1994) El Niño-related droughts may extend across virtually the entire country. On such occasions, the economic and livestock losses are exacerbated.


Persitent high pressure over most of Australia leads to low and often erratic rainfall. Drought tends to occur when the high pressure systems are more extensive than usual, excluding rain-bearing systems for lengthy periods of time.

Long-term droughts

Over much of the country, droughts can extend over several years, relieved only by brief, transitory rains. Indeed, probably the most damaging type of drought is when one or two very dry years follow several years of generally below-average rainfall. The "Federation drought" of the late 1890s through 1902 is an example, as is the more recent 1991-95 drought in Queensland, northern New South Wales and parts of central Australia. The mid to late 1920s and the 1930s were a period of generally low rainfall over most of the country, continuing well into the 1940s over the eastern states. In the late 1930s and 1940s, major droughts occurred over eastern Australia in 1937-38, 1940-41, and 1943-45.

Lake Eildon in Victoria at an extremely low level. This scene has occurred several times during the more severe droughts of the 20th Century. (Photo courtesy of Catherine Beesley)