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Australia has experienced several notable droughts throughout its history, with the most recent one occurring between 2017 and 2020. This drought was considered the worst on record for most river valleys across New South Wales, with conditions drier and hotter than any other drought in the last 120 years. Australia is prone to droughts due to its geography and position in the subtropical high-pressure belt, which results in dry and stable air conditions. The Federation Drought from 1895 to 1903 was also particularly devastating, with severe conditions in 1901 and 1902 leading to significant livestock losses and crop failures. Other notable droughts include the Millennium Drought (1997-2010 or 2001-2009) and the 1982-1983 drought, which had record-low rainfall and contributed to bushfires and dust storms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 2017-2020 |
| Severity | Worst on record for most river valleys across NSW, exceeding the Federation Drought, the WWII drought, and the Millennium Drought in the Murray-Darling Basin |
| Affected Areas | NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory |
| Rainfall | Lowest on record from January 2017 to December 2019; 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 were among the warmest years on record |
| Impact | Water shortages, crop failures, stock losses, bushfires, dust storms, and land degradation |
| Comparison to Previous Droughts | More severe than the 1940s drought and the Millennium drought in many areas |
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What You'll Learn
The 2017-2020 drought
Australia is prone to drought due to its geography. The country spans the latitudes of the subtropical high-pressure belt, an area of sinking, dry, stable air and usually clear skies. The east coast is normally well-watered, but over most of the country, rainfall is low and erratic. Even in wetter areas, very dry years can disrupt normal activities and lead to water shortages.
The last major drought in Australia lasted from 2017 to 2020. The drought was likely worsened by human-caused climate change and was preceded by the catastrophic Black Summer fires. From January 2017 to December 2019, rainfall was the lowest on record. The 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 calendar years were among the warmest on record. By the end of 2020, some parts of the state had experienced up to four years of drought, worse than the 1940s drought or the Millennium drought in many areas.
During the 2017-2020 drought, New South Wales was the worst-affected state. In August 2018, the state was declared to be 100% in drought, remaining at 98.6% in May 2019. The drought was the worst on record for most river valleys across the state, with some more impacted than others. For example, in Menindee, the area under production was reduced by 100%, while in Bourke, it was reduced by 99%.
In Queensland, the worst-affected areas were Biloela, which reduced the area under production by 100%, and Dirranbandi, by 91%. Dry conditions began to develop and were sustained in mid-2013 through much of western Queensland. Although these began easing in early 2014, drought began to develop further east, along the coastal fringe and into the ranges of southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales.
In February 2020, many areas on the east coast of New South Wales received heavy and continuous rain, the heaviest falls for thirty years. 391.6 millimetres of rain fell over four days in Sydney, more than three times the February average. Flooding was extensive, including areas such as Lake Conjola, devastated by bushfires about six weeks earlier.
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The Federation Drought
Australia is prone to drought due to its geography. The continent spans the latitudes of the subtropical high-pressure belt, an area of sinking, dry, stable air and usually clear skies. The Federation Drought, which occurred from 1895 to 1903, was one of the worst in the country's history. It received its name because it coincided with Australia's Federation in 1901.
The drought began in the mid-1890s, with the most extreme conditions in late 1901 and 1902. The six years leading up to Federation in January 1901 saw intermittent dry spells over most of the country, particularly in 1897 and 1899. Despite a very powerful monsoon in the north, heavy rains only temporarily alleviated the drought, as El Niño developed later that year. Dry conditions gradually became established during the late 1890s, and several dry areas joined together to create the end result of a drought covering more than half the continent.
At its peak (November 1901 to October 1902), the Federation Drought saw below-average to record-low rainfall across much of central to eastern Australia. The national wheat crop was all but lost, with close to the lowest yields of the century. By August 1902, heavy sheep and cattle losses were reported from Queensland. Rivers in western Queensland dried up, and the Darling River at Bourke virtually ran dry. The drought ended squatter-dominated pastoralism in New South Wales and Queensland, as bank foreclosures and the resumption of leases led to the partition of large stations for more intensive settlement and agricultural use.
The drought began to break in mid-December 1902 with heavy general rain in Victoria, extending to New South Wales and southern Queensland. From March 1903 onwards, it proved to be a generally wet year, with cereal crops performing exceptionally well due to a wet September throughout southern Australia. However, coastal areas of New South Wales and East Gippsland remained dry. Overall, for the eastern states, 1903 was the wettest year since 1894, although rainfall was still short of the high marks of the early 1890s.
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The Millennium Drought
Australia has experienced several droughts in its history, with one of the most recent being the Millennium Drought. This drought lasted from 1997 to 2010, although some sources state that the worst conditions occurred between 2001 and 2009, particularly affecting southeast Australia.
During the Millennium Drought, water supplies in Melbourne dipped to around 30% by July 2008, and many areas in Tasmania reported no significant rainfall for three consecutive years. The drought also impacted the Murray-Darling Basin, which experienced its seventh consecutive year of below-average rainfall in 2007. The basin saw a dramatic turnaround in 2010, with record-breaking rainfall ending the drought in the region.
In the lead-up to and during the early stages of the Millennium Drought, Australian cities and utilities focused on diversifying water supplies and improving efficiency. The Sydney Water Company (SWC) received a state mandate to reduce per-capita water consumption by 35% by 2011, leading to the development and implementation of water conservation programs. The response to the drought showcased world-leading innovation and exceptional urban water planning and management driven by crisis.
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The 1982-1983 drought
Australia is prone to drought due to its geography. The country spans the latitudes of the subtropical high-pressure belt, an area of sinking, dry, stable air and usually clear skies. The far north and south of the country experience reasonably regular rain-bearing systems for at least part of the year. However, over most of the country, rainfall is low and erratic.
The 1970s had been an exceptionally wet decade over eastern Australia, despite short-term droughts from April to August 1976 and June to December 1977. However, by 1979, almost all of eastern Australia was affected by a major drought. Although in some places such as the South Coast the drought was almost continuous, in most of the affected regions, the major years of drought were 1980 and 1982.
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The 1914-1915 drought
Australia is prone to drought due to its geography. The country spans the latitudes of the subtropical high-pressure belt, an area of sinking, dry, stable air and usually clear skies. Even in the wetter areas, very dry years can disrupt normal activities and lead to water shortages.
The year 1914 started with a dry spring and summer, and rain fell in April, giving farmers the confidence to sow. However, as 1914 progressed, rainfall ceased, the ground became drier, vegetation withered, and confidence evaporated with the moisture. The thirteen months from April 1914 to May 1915 remain one of the most severe drought periods in the history of southern Australia. It was identified as a strong 'El Nino' event, with cooler waters in the western Pacific Ocean leading to decreased rainfall in southern Australia.
The drought had a significant impact on agriculture, particularly the wheat crop. In southwestern Australia, the rainy season was extraordinarily poor, with only one significant rainfall from May to October and severe frosts throughout. The national wheat crop was almost completely lost, and wheat yields in Victoria and Western Australia were extremely low. Along the Murray River, communities constructed levee banks to conserve water, reducing the river to a series of stagnant pools. The local and state governments brought water by train to town dams, and in South Australia and western Victoria, they sank bores for communal use.
The dryness intensified in October and November 1914 due to extremely powerful westerly weather. New South Wales recorded its driest month of the twentieth century, with a statewide average rainfall of 3.2 millimetres. The drought lasted until July in southern Queensland and until the end of the year in northern and central Queensland. It was not until autumn 1915 that drought-breaking rains occurred in South Australia, Tasmania, and most of Victoria, ending one of the most severe drought periods in Australia's history.
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Frequently asked questions
The last major drought in Australia was from 2017 to 2019, known as the "Tinderbox" drought.
The 2017-2019 drought was considered one of the worst on record for most river valleys across NSW, with some areas being more impacted than others. Climatologist David Jones stated that the drought was officially the worst on record in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Australia has experienced several other notable droughts, including the Federation Drought from 1895 to 1903, the 1914-1915 drought, the Millennium Drought (2001-2010), and droughts in the 1840s, 1850s, and 1880s.
