Jeff Prell, whose family have been keeping rainfall figures for over 100 years, used part of Winston Churchill’s famous quote when commenting on the Goulburn district’s recent rainfall and its drought breaking qualities.

For Mr Prell, despite the recent rain and NSW officially being out of drought, there would need to be more of the same in the coming years to fully restore ground water.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) figures show Goulburn is on track to record its highest annual rainfall figure since 1999.

However, for all the rain that has covered the city this year, Goulburn is still well off the 110-year average at the Prell’s property ‘Gundowringa’.

“The average is 715.6 millimetres and we were at 555.6mm at the end of October,” Mr Prell said.

“We have had around 30mm or so in November so we are only at 585mm or 590mm.

“We’ve really got to have some good rain to get up to that mark, but it looks like it will be the 11th year in a row below the 110-year average.”

Mr Prell said the current drought still had some way to go to match the figures that were set at his Gundowringa property at the turn of the 20th century.

“From 1885 to 1912, in those 18 years there was only one year above the now average,” Mr Prell said.

“There are just more people who need more water (in the current drought).”

However, the local landowner did say the rain figures were still likely to make a marked impact on the local landscape.

“The beauty of this year is that the rain has come at the right time,” he said.

“It’s not the end though.” Goulburn Mulwaree Council water services manager Greg Horvath said the rain had led to hugely increased water storage figures, with the highest water levels experienced since capacity was increased from 13440ML to 15580ML following the Sooley Dam wall upgrade in June 2006.

“Coming into a hot summer, I would say we are in a fantastic position,” Mr Horvath said.

Both Sooley Dam and Rossi Weir are at full storage, with Pejar Dam at 53pc.

Mr Horvath said with rain in the Pejar area, a jump could be expected in the water storage levels.

“Most farm dams are full at the moment so some follow-up rain would boost our supply with some run off,” he said.

Mr Horvath did encourage local residents to still be mindful of their water usage though.

“We’re still in level three water restrictions and people need to keep being mindful of their water use,” he said.

“I don’t think we are ever out of the woods...and it is not a time to be complacent.”

BOM figures from the gauge at Goulburn TAFE show annual rainfall is currently at 645.8mm, with the average over the last 30 years just 617.5mm, well below the Prell’s 110- year mark.

“Compared to what people are used to coming out of a long dry spell it probably feels quite wet,” a Bureau spokesperson said.

“We’ve had good rain particularly from September which is consistent with the La Niña weather pattern which we are currently experiencing.”

Goulburn’s current usable water storage is at 69.4 per cent, while the total water storage sits at 72.5pc. The last time Goulburn was at full storage was in November 2000. According to the BOM, to the end of October, Goulburn had 109 days of rain, with the annual average at 124.

The 70.8mm of rain we have received in November, up to yesterday, is already well above the month’s 30 year average of 64.8mm. The wettest month so far this year has been February, when 162.4mm were recorded at the TAFE gauge