The long-planned handover of the Queensland assets took place Friday, February 1.

North west Queenslanders reeling from February's vicious weather event may be able to take heart from knowing that the region has lost vast numbers of cattle in previous natural disasters and recovered.

“Holy cow - it’s a buffalo!” That’s what local dairy farmers said when Mitch Humphries bought the first consignment of dairy buffalo onto the Atherton Tablelands.