Jeff Prell’s family property, ‘Gundowringa’ on the Crookwell Road has kept rainfall records since 1904. The octogenarian and keeper of the tradition recorded 870mm for in 2016.

“It’s been a wonderful season,” he told The Post.

“I’ve never seen the stock looking in better order and the main reason is the subterranean clover.”

‘Gundowringa’ runs 2000 Corriedales. The property is steeped in history, stretching back to Mr Prell’s grandfather, CE Prell, who trail-blazed superphosphate from 1918.

Mr Prell said last year’s rainfall was the largest since 1984. It started well with 98.6mm in January but a total 501.2mm fell between May and September, including 157.6mm in June, which created flooding.

“The key months for germination are March, April and May. If you get rain then it doesn’t matter when else it falls during the year. The key is that moisture,” Mr Prell said.

He attributed the healthy rainfall around Crookwell to the 2000 feet altitude difference with Goulburn and the heavy basalt country overlaying granite which “soaked up water like a sponge.”

Crookwell itself received 1058.6mm for the year, according to Post Office data. Goulburn TAFE recorded 721.4mm and Goulburn Airport – 732.6mm, Bureau of Meteorology statistics revealed. It was the best drop since 2012 when 739mm fell at both weather stations but well short of the 915mm recorded at Goulburn TAFE in 2010. The city’s 45-year mean annual rainfall is 642mm.

Angus Gibson registered 807mm at his Tirrannaville property, where he runs fat lambs and cattle and grows wheat, canola and rye grass.

He said rain was variable across the vast property, which generally records 10 to 15 per cent more than Goulburn Airport.

Healthy rain in the early months of 2016 wasn’t repeated until May and June when “everything was getting bogged.”

“It was a funny year (with the variability) but it was also fantastic,” Mr Gibson said.

“We had some challenges with water logging but the areas lost to that we picked up through higher yields. Stock prices were also up, so overall it was a good year.”

The property has diversified in recent years and sows dual-purpose cropping for fat lambs and cattle as well as for harvest. It’s this diversity that Mr Gibson says helps withstand the vagaries of the seasons.

“I think we spend a bit too much time worrying about the weather,” he said.

“It’s much more important to have a flexible system to take advantage of the weather conditions.”