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Inverloch dairy farmer Mick Hughes highlights community collaboration survive South Gippsland's dry season challenges

Inverloch dairy farmer Mick Hughes credits collaboration with the Inverloch Cluster and local water authorities for navigating South Gippsland's recurring dry conditions and improving farm drought resilience.

By news@gippsland - 16th September 2025 - Back to News

What Inverloch dairy farmer Mick Hughes has learnt from previous experiences is helping him to get through the dry conditions that recently hit South Gippsland. And that key learning is to work closely with your farming community and local water authorities.

Inverloch dairy farmer Mick Hughes relies on the Inverloch Cluster and local water authorities to navigate recurring South Gippsland drought conditions successfully

Inverloch farmers unite

Mick and his wife, Paula, milk around 350 cows on their 150-hectare property. A decade ago now, Mick's farm ran out of water, a rarity for a region well-known for its reliable rainfall. So, he helped to unite five local farmers in the area - a group now known as the 'Inverloch Cluster' - which they successfully sought permission to use for stock and domestic water.

To get this happening, though, the Cluster dug into their own hip pockets and put in a collective 600 hours of work to lay 15km of 90mm pipe across farmland, fences and underneath roads. Back in 2015, this provided each farm with access to about 60,000 litres of water every day. It's estimated their efforts saved 3,000 dairy cows and allowed the Inverloch Cluster properties to keep operating.

Stronger together farming

Now, hit with similar dry conditions in 2025, the going is tough again, but Mick feels better placed to navigate these conditions. "This year we're probably not in the position we were (in 2015), fortunately because we've made those improvements on the farm. But we're looking like we'll run out of water this year again. We're talking with local water authorities and looking at ideas," Mick said.

Mick, who is also a board member of GippsDairy, knows he will again need to lean on the Inverloch Cluster for support. He also encouraged other farmers doing it tough, particularly in Victoria's south west, to do the same.

"With the group of farmers, the Inverloch Cluster, we were constantly talking to one another. It was really good to have that support. We were all in the same predicament. Basically, there wasn't a day where we weren't talking to one another," Mick said.

Farmers supporting farmers

Mick continued, "Even when one of us was really struggling, we were sort of there for one another and could understand what each other was going through. With that, came advice - different things we found out that worked on their farm or our farm. The beauty of working with farmers like that was just bouncing ideas off what we thought would work. And (that) put us in the right frame and kept us running in that direction."

While conditions in South Gippsland have eased slightly, Mick said the Cluster will continue to look at innovations to build drought-resilience for tough times down the track. "We are working with our water authorities, including South Gippsland Water and Southern Rural Water, to look at ways to improve water capacity and work through these conditions," he said.

Recycled water potential

Mick added, "We're looking at recycled water as a part of whether we can do something like that. And that will probably take some government expenditure there to try to get that over the line. And hopefully we can lobby for something like that," Mick said.

A range of financial support and assistance services are available to help farmers manage the difficult seasonal conditions. Services include technical support, financial counselling and wellbeing support. For more information about preparing for and responding to dry seasonal conditions, including available supports and resources, visit Agriculture Victoria website.

Pictures from Southern Rural Water website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com