‘Like a cloud burst’: Family rejoices after rainfall fills ‘bone dry’ dam in one hour

A drought-stricken family are overjoyed after their “bone dry” dam suddenly filled with rainfall in just one hour.

Lindsay Groth, 36, filmed the stream of rushing water pouring into the dam at her family’s Bundarra property on Thursday.

“The day before it was bone dry - it’s been completely dry since October,” she told Yahoo News Australia.

“It was like a cloud had burst over the centre of the property.”

The mum-of-three said her stunned father had rushed to the home as soon as the rain began to fall, urging her to come look at the dam.

In just five minutes she watched the water rise by half a metre.

“It was rushing in there,” Ms Groth said, adding that if the family had returned an hour later they would have seen it was full.

Pictures show her, her father and her three children smiling wide as they watched the rainfall in disbelief.

The 36-year-old said the downpour had made her family “very, very happy” after “terrible” rainfall over the last 12 months.

She said the drought conditions plaguing Australia had forced her father, a grazier who runs the property, to sell the majority of their 70 cows, leaving just four cows and calfs.

The mum-of-three said she had been carting water 50kms every other day for the remaining cattle.

“I’ve got chooks, ducks and pigs that all needed to have water carted to.”

Not only had her family’s property struggled, but Ms Groth said Bundurra residents had recently been warned there was only 120 days left of water left in the town’s supply.

Luckily, heavy rainfall seen last week helped fill the town’s catchment area and river system, she said.

Ms Groth said her “very relieved” dad is now heading out to buy some more cattle for their land.

Rainfall drenches Australia’s east coast

Australia’s bushfire and drought-ravaged east coast has received some brief relief from the heavy rainfall seen this week.

Sydney is expected on Friday to receive 10-25mm while up to 50mm are forecast for parts of the state along with thunderstorms.

The Northern Tablelands, Northern Slopes, Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and Hunter are all expected to receive significant downpours.

Falls of up to 50mm would be the state's most significant rainfall since September last year, with rain expected to continue falling into the weekend.

On Friday morning, there were 82 NSW bushfires burning - down from 88 on Wednesday evening - after significant rain gave firefighters favourable conditions to strengthen containment lines.

About 30 fires remained out of control.

On Thursday, there were still 1700 firefighters on the ground.

- with AAP

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